SEATTLE -- Whoa, Nellie! He's back, and that's just the start for Seattle.
The Mariners, as expected, activated designated hitter Nelson Cruz from the 10-day disabled list prior to Saturday's game against Oakland. He missed nine games after suffering a sprained right ankle March 31 on a misstep on the dugout steps.
Cruz, 37, was 2-for-6 with two homers in the season's first two games prior to the injury. He served as the Mariners' cleanup hitter over the previous three years while batting .292 and averaging 42 homers and 106 RBIs.