Coco Crisp bats leadoff after DL stint

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Oakland Athletics activated outfielder Coco Crisp from the disabled list Wednesday and put him into the lineup as the leadoff hitter against the Minnesota Twins.

The 35-year-old Crisp missed the first five weeks of the season following right elbow surgery. A's manager Bob Melvin plans on playing Crisp in left field, a position he hasn't played since 2012.

Hot-hitting Billy Burns will continue to play center field. Craig Gentry, mired in a 3-for-35 slump, was optioned to Triple-A Nashville.