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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics activated left-hander Richard Lovelady from the 15-day injured list before Sunday’s game against the Chicago White Sox.

Last-place Oakland also optioned lefty Kyle Muller to Triple-A Las Vegas. The 25-year-old Muller is 1-4 with a 7.79 ERA in 11 starts this season.

Lovelady had been sidelined by a strained left elbow. He pitched a scoreless inning against Tampa Bay on June 15 before departing with the injury.

Oakland Athletics' Tyler Wade, left, slides safely across home plate with the winning run ahead of the tag by Chicago White Sox catcher Carlos Pérez (36) during the tenth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 1, 2023, in Oakland, Calif. The A's won 7-6. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

Tyler Wade slid into home with the winning run after second baseman Elvis Andrus misplayed a 10th-inning grounder, giving the Oakland Athletics a 7-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Chicago White Sox hitting coach José Castro (20) speaks to first base umpire Mark Carlson, right, after he was ejected by home plate umpire Tripp Gibson at the end of the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland, Calif., Friday, June 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Luis Medina overcame his season-long control problems and pitched five mostly strong innings to earn his first win as a starter this season, Carlos Pérez hit his sixth homer while his brother sat in the opposite dugout, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Chicago White Sox 7-4.

New York Yankees' Josh Donaldson runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, June 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Josh Donaldson hit a 472-foot home run in an eight-run sixth inning, Isiah Kiner-Falefa had three RBIs and the New York Yankees beat Oakland 10-4 to take two of three from the major league-worst Athletics.

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge watches from the dugout during the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland, Calif., Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Paul Blackburn pitched into the sixth inning for Oakland, allowing one run on Josh Donaldson’s homer in his return to the lineup and sending the Athletics to a 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees.

“The way he walked off the mound, we were all concerned with whether or not he would be back with us this year,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “So getting him back, it’s great for him individually that there wasn’t anything severe in the injury.”

Lovelady made one rehab appearance at Single-A Stockton on Friday, allowing one run in one inning. The 27-year-old pitcher went 0-3 with a 3.86 ERA in 24 relief outings for the A’s before the injury.

“He had some success with us and we’re hoping he gets back in here and continues to perform the way he did before the injury,” Kotsay said.

Muller pitched five innings Saturday against the White Sox after he was recalled from the minors, allowing three runs and six hits. He did not factor into the decision as Oakland won 7-6 in 10 innings.

Muller was Oakland’s opening-day starter. The 25-year-old has struck out 37 and walked 27 in 52 innings.

“I think the next step is pitching deeper into games, limiting the pitch count, getting early count outs with the changeup, establishing a changeup that he can command in the zone,” Kotsay said. “Those are development steps that he needs to kind of grow in to be able to be a sustainable big league pitcher, really.”

Muller, a second-round pick in the 2016 amateur draft, was acquired from Atlanta in a three-team trade in December. He is 4-9 with a 6.50 ERA in parts of three major league seasons.