Masyn Winn returns from IL; Cesar Prieto sent back to Triple-A

His fractured left thumb healed enough to grip a bat and hit MLB pitching again, Cardinals' shortstop Masyn Winn was activated off the 10-day Injured List before Tuesday night's game in San Francisco.

Cesar Prieto, who drew a walk and stole a base in the 11th inning of the Cardinals 5-4 loss to the Giants on Monday night, was optioned to Triple-A Memphis.

Winn, 24, was placed on the Injured List on Aug. 25 when X-rays revealed a fracture in the shortstop's left thumb. Winn suffered the injury during one of the best offensive nights of his MLB career when he had a homer and two doubles against the Reds on Aug. 18. Winn finished that game and went hitless a night later before sitting out most of the next four games with lingering pain in the joint.

JJ Wetherholt originally held down the shortstop position before going on the Injured List with right wrist tendinitis on Aug. 30. Thomas Saggese, who came into Tuesday 15 for 29 with three homers, three doubles and eight RBI, was promoted from Triple-A Memphis to fill in for Winn and Wetherholt at shortstop.

The Cardinals went 6-7 while Winn was on the Injured List.