Tigers activate OF Sheffield from DL

Sep 6, 2007 - 3:04 PM DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Detroit Tigers brought back one of their big bats Thursday, activating outfielder Gary Sheffield from the 15-day disabled list prior to their series finale with the Chicago White Sox.

Sheffield, 38, had been sidelined since August 22 with a sore right shoulder.

In the absence of Sheffield, the Tigers have gone from one-half game behind the Cleveland Indians to seven out in the American League Central Division. Detroit (74-65) does sit 3 1/2 games back of the New York Yankees (78-62) in the wild card.

In his first season with the Tigers, Sheffield is batting .279 with 24 home runs and 71 RBI in 114 games.

Detroit is coming off a 2-1 victory over Chicago on Wednesday, when Timo Perez delivered a game-winning single in the 11th inning.

So far, the Tigers have managed only three runs in the first two games of the three-game set with the White Sox - something the return of Sheffield could remedy.