Edmonds off DL

ATLANTA -- The St. Louis Cardinals activated Jim Edmonds from the disabled list Thursday after the center fielder missed 26 games with a pinched nerve in his lower back.

Edmonds was hitting .238 with seven homers and 24 RBIs with the chronic injury. St. Louis made room for the eight-time Gold Glove winner and four-time All-Star on the 25-man roster by optioning reliever Andy Cavazos to Class AAA Memphis.

The Cardinals held third baseman Scott Rolen out of the lineup for the second straight day following his return to St. Louis for a checkup Wednesday on his left shoulder.

Rolen, who's hitting .262 with four homers and 39 RBIs, had a cortisone shot to relieve inflammation and tightness. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said he would put Rolen, a seven-time Gold Glove recipient and five-time All-Star, back in the lineup when his shoulder felt loose.

-- The Associated Press