Braves activate Brian McCann | The Salt Lake Tribune

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Cincinnati • The Braves activated Brian McCann off the disabled list on Monday, completing the catcher's comeback from surgery on his throwing shoulder last October.

The six-time All-Star was in the starting lineup for the opening game of a series against the Cincinnati Reds.

McCann tore the labrum in his right shoulder and had surgery on Oct. 16. He'd felt discomfort for most of the season, when he batted a career-low .230 with 20 homers and 67 RBIs in 121 games.

"I'm excited," he said before the game. "When you have a surgery like I had, you don't know how your body is going to respond to it. Shoulders play a big part in what we do. To be able to be here 6½ months out of surgery and feel the way I do, I'm very pleased."

McCann played seven games in the minors as a rehabilitation assignment. He batted .348 with one double, four homers and nine RBIs at Class A and Triple-A. The biggest question was how his shoulder would respond to all the throwing.

"I had a really good rehab stint," McCann said. "Things went well, just the way the ball was coming out [on throws] and how I was recovering the next day. I pushed it as much as I could and woke up the next day feeling good. The strength is there and the durability is there."

The Braves optioned utility player Tyler Pastornicky to Triple-A Gwinnett to open a roster spot. Pastornicky went 1 for 7 with a double in six games.