Running fine, Cespedes returns to left field

SEATTLE -- A's trainers wanted to see Yoenis Cespedes run during pregame drills before giving him the green light to return to left field Friday night in Seattle. Turns out he passed the test.

So Cespedes, recently limited to designated hitter duties because of left hamstring soreness, made his first start in left field since June 11, moving Seth Smith to DH.

"They wanted to see him run around first," manager Bob Melvin said, "but he wants to play left field. He's tired of the DH thing."

Cespedes went just 4-for-28 with 10 strikeouts during his week-long stint at DH, bringing his season average down to .228, but he responded in Friday's opener, going 2-for-4 with a pair of two-run homers in Oakland's 6-3 win.

For Cespedes, it was not a coincidence.

"When I'm in the outfield ... my body's on fire," he said. "The difference is, when I'm a DH, I sit down in the dugout and I'm doing nothing and I feel like I'm going down a little bit emotionally."