Greg Bird Activated from Yankees 60-Day DL Following Ankle Injury

The New York Yankees announced Saturday they activated first baseman Greg Bird from the 60-day disabled list and called him up to the major league roster.

Bird was in Saturday's lineup, batting sixth and playing first base, for the Yanks' clash with the Seattle Mariners.

The 24-year-old has appeared in just 19 MLB games this season because of an ankle injury that required surgery.

Bird struggled mightily prior to landing on the DL, as he hit just .100 with one home run and three RBI in 72 plate appearances. It was a far cry from what he did in spring training, when he was arguably the best hitter in baseball, batting .451 with eight homers and 15 RBI.

Bird looked more like himself during his recent rehab stint at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, hitting .423 with three home runs and six RBI in nine games.

After bursting onto the scene by hitting .261 with 11 home runs and 31 RBI in 46 games for the Yankees as a rookie in 2015, Bird missed all of 2016 with a shoulder injury.

His return to the fold gives New York a potential game-changer since he is a lefty power hitter capable of taking advantage of Yankee Stadium's short right field porch.

He will also give New York options at first base and designated hitter, with Chase Headley having played well at first since moving there following the trade for third baseman Todd Frazier.

The Yankees entered play Saturday trailing the Boston Red Sox by 4.5 games in the American League East, but they held the first wild-card spot and had a 3.5-game lead for that playoff position.