ARLINGTON, Texas -- Travis Buck's shin splints are feeling much better. Now the A's just want his swing to get healthier.

The second-year outfielder was activated from the 15-day disabled list Saturday and immediately optioned to Triple-A Sacramento. Content with the way their current group of outfielders is playing, the A's want Buck to work out his hitting woes in the minors for an extended period.

"Our outfield is doing well and we're going with what we have right now," A's manager Bob Geren said. "He's going to be down there getting his at-bats. He needs to get some at-bats to get his swing back."

Buck, 24, was one of the bright spots (when healthy) during last season's 76-86 campaign, breaking camp with the big league club in just his third professional season and hitting .288 in 82 games.

But he struggled mightily out of the gate this season. His average when he was placed on the DL on April 24 was .154, the lowest in the American League at the time.

Buck has been on a rehab assignment with Sacramento, and though he went 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBI on Friday, he's hitting just .240 with one homer and four RBI in seven games with the River Cats. He's started in center field every game.

There's no doubt Buck is still a critical piece to the A's future. But the A's are tied for first in the AL West after Saturday's 6-4 loss to Texas, and Geren has said he likes the current makeup of his roster.

That includes his five outfielders, though

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it's very possible one of them gets sent down today to make room for right-hander Rich Harden, who will come off the DL to start against the Rangers.

Chris Denorfia, who has started just once in the past 13 games, is a likely candidate to be demoted.

Players are allowed a maximum of 20 days on a minor league rehab assignment. Buck was just eight days into his rehab stint, but the A's took him off the DL because he appears fully recovered from shin splints.

In other news, reliever Kiko Calero, who has been out all season with a torn right rotator cuff, began his own rehab stint with Sacramento on Saturday. Calero threw one inning in the River Cats' 6-0 loss at New Orleans. He allowed one hit and two walks but struck out three.

Calero is eligible to come off the 60-day DL on May 27.

Getting closer

Another day, another positive report on Eric Chavez. The third baseman fielded slow rollers Saturday that required him to charge hard to get them, and his lower back responded well.

Geren said it's possible Chavez could begin a rehab assignment before the current road trip ends next weekend. That decision may be made today after Chavez tries running the bases for the first time.

That's the final hurdle for Chavez to conquer before he's cleared to play in games, according to A's head athletic trainer Steve Sayles.

Short hops

Neither Harden nor Geren gave a pitch count for Harden's start today, which will mark his first major league appearance since April 2. Harden looked very sharp in two rehab starts, one with Sacramento and one with Single-A Stockton. He threw 69 pitches in his last outing Tuesday, and reached 80 with some extra work in the bullpen. ... Several A's players had pink bats sitting in their locker, which they're planning to use in today's Mother's Day game to raise awareness for breast cancer.