Yoenis Cespedes is back

Programming note: A's-Royals coverage begins today at 4:30 p.m. with A's Pregame Live, then live baseball from Kansas City follows on Comcast SportsNet California!

The A's have activated Yoenis Cespedes from the disabled list. He takes the spot on the roster vacated by Tyson Ross on Thursday. Cespedes has been out since May 7 with a strain in his left hand. Cespedes played in three games with the River Cats as part of a rehab assignment. He played left field in every game in Sacramento, after playing center field in 28 games with the A's. During his rehab stint, he went 3 for 9, with one run, and one walk. He was robbed of a double in his second game with the River Cats, after an umpire said he didn't touch first base. Replays showed he did in fact touch the bag.
REWIND: Cespedes playing LF for River Cats
With the River Cats, Cespedes suffered no ill-effects from a strain in his left hand. The A's hope he will make an immediate impact offensively. He returns to a team that has struggled mightily without him. Since Cespedes vacated the cleanup spot in the batting order, A's hitters have hit just .185 while batting fourth. With Cespedes the A's are 15-13, without him they have gone 7-15. When Cespedes went on the DL, he was leading all American League rookies in homers (5), RBIs (21).
A big question is where Cespedes will play in the outfield. When the A's signed him to a four-year 36M contract, he was expected to be the everyday center fielder in Oakland. The fact that he played left field exclusively on his rehab stint came as a bit of a surprise. He told me on Tuesday that he has some experience in left field."I played some time there in the National Cuban team and in Cuba too in the regular series," Cespedes said through translator Ariel Prieto. "It's OK, but I want to help the team. Whatever position they want me to play I will play."Coco Crisp has played center field for the A's in nine games since coming off a the DL.