Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Wednesday that the team activated infielder Jed Lowrie and that he would play shortstop in the afternoon game against the Oakland Athletics.

Lowrie rejoined the club Tuesday after missing the entire season with mononucleosis. He now has no limitations and he said he feels healthy and ready to contribute.

"I'm just looking to play baseball and not have to think about all this," Lowrie said Tuesday. "I want to put it all behind me and just let my ability play."

To make room for Lowrie, Francona said in an interview on Boston sports radio station WEEI, the Red Sox designated fist baseman Ryan Shealy for assignment.

Additionally, the team optioned reliever Dustin Richardson to Triple-A Pawtucket to make room for Buchholz, who will come off the disabled list (hamstring) to start Wednesday’s game in Oakland.

The 26-year-old Lowrie was limited to 32 games in 2009 after having surgery on his left wrist to repair a torn ligament in April. Ironically, he was placed on the disabled list while the team was here at the start of last season.

He first suffered the wrist injury in May 2008 and played through the discomfort before he was deemed healthy in time for spring training in 2009. The wrist began to aggravate him again toward the end of camp before it was finally decided he would finally have the surgery.

Lowrie returned to the Sox's lineup on July 18 at Toronto and played in 14 games before returning to the DL. He was reinstated on Sept. 8 and finished the season on the active roster.

During the offseason, the Red Sox signed shortstop Marco Scutaro and Lowrie felt he would battle for the starting job during spring training before the mono completely shut him down.

"I've been asked about timetables and percentages for the last two years," Lowrie said. "I feel healthy and that's good enough for me right now.

"If there's a silver lining in all this, the wrist feels pretty good," he said.

Material from ESPNBoston.com's Joe McDonald was used in this report.