BALTIMORE — The Detroit Tigers activated outfielder Magglio Ordonez from the 15-day disabled list today and placed him in the starting lineup against the Baltimore Orioles.

Ordonez has been sidelined since June 28 with a pulled oblique muscle. He's batting .307 with 12 homers and 50 RBIs in 80 games.

The move was not unexpected. Detroit optioned outfielder Clete Thomas to Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday, the same day Ordonez was reinstated from his rehab assignment with Class-A West Michigan.

Detroit went 7-7 without Ordonez, whose return probably couldn't come at a better time. Not only do the struggling Tigers need his bat in the lineup, but Ordonez has flourished in Baltimore.

He started the day with a lifetime .338 batting average at Camden Yards. In 34 games, he had five doubles, five homers and 19 RBIs.

"I'm ready," said Ordonez, who was batting cleanup. "I hit good here."

Meanwhile, manager Jim Leyland said he's leaning toward summoning right-hander Zach Miner from Toledo to start Monday at Kansas City. Miner is 0-1 with a 3.48 ERA in three games, including two starts, with the Mud Hens. He was 3-3 with a 4.23 ERA in 32 games this season with the Tigers, all of them in relief.

"It looks like it's going to be Miner, but that's not etched in stone," Leyland said, adding that if the move is made, Miner will become a regular in the rotation.

Miner started 16 games for the Tigers in 2006 and finished 7-6 with a 4.84 ERA. He was 3-4 with a 3.02 ERA in 34 games last year, starting only once.

Miner would replace Eddie Bonine, who served as the fifth starter before being optioned to Double-A Erie last week.