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Athletics activate Matt Joyce, option Jake Smolinski to Triple-A

Oakland Athletics' Matt Joyce (23) gets a congratulatory fist bump from third base coach Matt Williams (4) after hitting a two-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the eighth inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 31, 2018, in Oakland, Calif. The A's won 7-3. (D. Ross Cameron / AP)
Associated Press
Oakland Athletics' Matt Joyce (23) gets a congratulatory fist bump from third base coach Matt Williams (4) after hitting a two-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the eighth inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 31, 2018, in Oakland, Calif. The A's won 7-3. (D. Ross Cameron / AP)

CHICAGO – The Oakland Athletics have activated outfielder Matt Joyce from the 10-day disabled list and optioned outfielder Jake Smolinski to Triple-A Nashville.

Sidelined since June 2 because of a strained lower back, Joyce was not in the lineup for the first game of Friday’s doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox. But manager Bob Melvin was planning to have him play in the nightcap.

An All-Star with Tampa Bay in 2011, Joyce was batting just .196 through his first 55 games. He hit .243 with 25 homers and 68 RBIs last season, his first with Oakland.

Smolinski was batting .128 in 19 games. The Athletics were planning to call up lefty reliever Daniel Coulombe for the second game as the 26th man.