Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Troy Glaus was activated from the 60-day disabled list Sunday by the Anaheim Angels and was back in the lineup against the Minnesota Twins.

The Angels also placed designated hitter Tim Salmon on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 24, and optioned right-handed reliever Matt Hensley to Triple-A Salt Lake. Infielder Adam Riggs was recalled from Salt Lake and outfielder Barry Wesson was designated for assignment.

Glaus was 0-for-2 with a pair of walks and scored on Adam Kennedy's winning homer in the ninth inning of Anaheim's 4-2 victory over Minnesota.

Glaus, a three-time All-Star third baseman and MVP of the 2002 World Series, has only 110 at-bats this season with 11 home runs, 28 RBIs and a .291 average. He underwent shoulder surgery on May 21.

Glaus injured himself on a dive at Minnesota on April 30. He stayed in the lineup for nine more games as a DH until May 11, when he sprained his right knee while striking out at Yankee Stadium.

"It was frustrating," Glaus said. "We're all professional ballplayers. We're not professional rehabbers. We're not professional sit-around-the-house guys. We all appreciate what we have and what we're given a chance to do. It hurts to be away. It hurts to not play. This is our job and this is what we love to do."

After going 3-for-15 with two home runs, four RBIs and six walks during a five-game rehabilitation assignment with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, Glaus called general manager Bill Stoneman on Saturday night to tell him he was ready to go. He will be the team's designated hitter the rest of the season.

"It's like I was telling Bill last night, I almost felt like I was a rookie being called up from Triple-A again," Glaus said with a grin. "It was exciting. I didn't sleep very well last night. I'm excited to get back and get into a stadium with three decks on it. I worked my butt off to get back here, and here we are."

A roar went up from the surprised crowd at Angel Stadium when Glaus' name was announced in the starting lineup. He batted seventh and received a standing ovation before lining out to left field on the second pitch he saw from Carlos Silva.

When Glaus had the surgery on his throwing shoulder, some thought he would miss the rest of the season. But he was more optimistic than most, and spent the past few months working out in Arizona - away from his teammates and the hustle and bustle of the clubhouse.

"It would have been a whole lot more frustrating being here," Glaus said. "I don't like sitting around watching. I mean, spending 2 1/2 months in Phoenix during the summer isn't the greatest thing in the world, either. But I was able to get done what I had to get done. And looking back, it was all worth it.

"By going there, all I was just focusing on was just rehabbing. I was out there five days a week for two months with the goal of getting back before the end of August. It worked out, and I got back when I wanted to be back."

Glaus' timing couldn't have been better. The Angels begin a road trip Tuesday night in Boston with the first of three games against the Red Sox, the team they are trying to overtake for the lead in the wild-card standings.

"This is what I wanted. I was hoping to get back for that series and catch that flight to Boston," Glaus said. "It's a big series for this team and I wanted to be a part of it. That was my goal from two months ago - to get back playing down the stretch and playing against the teams that we need to beat."

Glaus, who led the AL with a franchise-record 47 homers four seasons ago, hit 40 the following year and 30 in 2002 before he was limited to 91 games last season because of a partial tear of his right rotator cuff and fraying of the labrum.

He didn't undergo surgery, opting instead for an offseason rehabilitation program. He's in the final year of a $23 million, four-year contract and will be eligible for free agency after the season.

Salmon was put on the DL to give his troublesome left shoulder a rest. He decided a couple of weeks ago to not undergo season-ending surgery because he felt he could contribute to the Angels' playoff drive.

Salmon, the Angels' career leader in several offensive categories, will have arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and biceps tendon when the season ends. He became a DH this year after spending the previous 11 seasons in right field. He's hitting .243 in 55 games with two homers and 22 RBIs.

In addition to his shoulder problems, Salmon missed 35 games during the first half of the season because of irritation in his left knee. This is the seventh time he has been on the DL during his 13-year career.