ST. LOUIS — The Cardinals are getting one of their top performers from last year back just before the All-Star break.
Left fielder Tyler O'Neill was activated from the injured list Thursday and will start in the final game of the Cardinals' three-game series against the Dodgers. The Cardinals optioned outfielder Lars Nootbaar to Triple-A Memphis to make room for O'Neill on the big-league roster.
O'Neill, who turned 27 last month, set career bests last year with a .286 average, 34 homers and 80 RBIs, finishing eighth in NL MVP voting. He is hitting .241 with four home runs and 28 RBIs in 45 games this season.
He's had two stints on the IL this season. A right shoulder impingement kept him on the IL from May 20 to June 7 and a left hamstring strain from June 20 to July 14.
In the games between his trips to the IL, O'Neill hit .354 with two home runs and three stolen bases. In that time, he raised his season average by 38 points, from .203 to .241.
Nootbaar, 24, was hitting .198 with 3 home runs in 40 games this season. Noobaar started the season in Triple-A and this will be his third stint in Memphis this season.
The Cardinals lost a heartbreaker Wednesday night, when the bullpen could not hold on to a 6-0 lead. The Dodgers scored seven runs in the last three innings to win the second game of the series.
The Cardinals and Dodgers will face off in the final game of the series Thursday night. Dakota Hudson(6-5, 4.00 ERA) will face Tyler Anderson(9-1, 3.15 ERA). First pitch is at 6:15 p.m.
The Cardinals are in second place in the NL Central with a 48-43 record. They are two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers and hold the third wild card spot.
