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Adams set to be activated off DL on Tuesday

PHILADELPHIA -- Confident that his surgically repaired right shoulder is healed, Phillies reliever Mike Adams is set to be activated from the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday.

The Phillies optioned right-hander Luis Garcia to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following Monday's 9-6 loss to the Braves to make room for Adams on the roster.

The Phils hope Adams is a solution for a bullpen that could use some right-handed help, but he has not pitched in the Major Leagues since last June, so no one can be certain how he will perform once he returns to the mound. Still, Adams feels he can help the team.

"I feel pretty strong with my shoulder," Adams said on Monday. "Now the thought process is, 'Let's make pitches, let's get people out and let's move on to the next day.' ... I'm to the point now where I'm pretty confident in the rehab process and what I've been through."

Adams said he was ready to pitch on Monday, but Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said, "It was a joint decision to give him an extra day."

Sandberg said he plans to use Adams "smartly to start with. Whether it's one inning, I think that would be a good place to start and just go from there and see how he rebounds, see how he looks and see how he pitches and see how he feels the next day. But we need to be smart, one inning at a time to get him started."

Adams said he's "very anxious" to get back on a big league mound. Philadelphia signed him to a two-year, $12 million contract before the 2013 season, but he was limited to 28 appearances last year.

"It's been a long while," Adams said of his rehab process. "I'm not nervous yet, but I'm sure once that time comes and I get back on the mound, it's going to be a little nerve-wracking."

Todd Zolecki and Austin Laymance are reporters for MLB.com.
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