Ruiz activated; Polanco goes on DL

The Phillies took two separate courses of action with two of their injured regulars on Friday.

Carlos Ruiz was surprisingly activated from the disabled list, while Placido Polanco took his place, making his second trip to the DL this season. With 24 games remaining in the season, it likely marks the end of Polanco's career with the Phillies.

"I don't think I'll play again this year," said Polanco, who is battling a lower back injury.

The diagnosis sounded similar regarding Ruiz just a week ago, when general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said the All-Star catcher's return for the final 4 weeks of the season was a "risk/reward assessment." Apparently, the rewards outweigh the risks.

Ruiz was placed on the DL with plantar fasciitis in his left foot on Aug. 4. An MRI at the time also showed a partial tear.

"I think it's 6 weeks today since he had the injury," assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said. "He had a little bit of a setback there, and I think we backed off a little bit. Now, I think we're very comfortable with the fact that I don't think he's going to do any further damage.

"Hopefully, he can come out and contribute a little bit and get back in a rhythm and be ready to go for next year. I think it's important that he gets back out on the field."

Ruiz was not in the starting lineup on Friday and isn't expected to be turned loose as the regular, everyday backstop anytime soon, either.

"We definitely want to be careful with him," manager Charlie Manuel said. "I'll pinch-hit him, see how it goes. I'll be able to put him in a couple innings late in the game and [maybe] start him every 4 or 5 days. Of course, the better he responds, the more he'll get to play."

Ruize, 33, was in the middle of a career year when he was first bothered by the foot a week after appearing in his first All-Star Game in July.

When he was placed on the DL last month, Ruiz was hitting .335, fourth in the National League. He entered Friday with career highs in home runs (14) and RBI (58) in 95 games.

Although he was uncertain of a return earlier this month, Ruiz said he was encouraged in the last week when he went through running drills in Atlanta and Cincinnati, while with the Phils on their six-game road trip. On Friday, Ruiz said he was pain-free.

"I feel real good - I feel great," he said. "I want to finish the season. I want to go home [at the end of the season] happy. I told myself I have to finish playing and then relax and be ready for next year. I was really sad in last 6 weeks. Now, I have the chance to get back in the lineup."

Polanco, who turns 37 next month, is in the final month of a 3-year, $18 million contract. There is a mutual $5.5 million option in the contract, but the Phils almost certainly will take the $1 million buyout instead.

Polanco has made five trips to the DL in the last three seasons.

A year after wining a Gold Glove and being voted in as the National League's starter at third base in the 2011 All-Star Game, Polanco hit .257 with a .629 OPS, both career lows since he became an everyday, big-league player. He had only 17 extra-base hits in 90 games this season.

Polanco was first placed on the DL with the back injury on July 26. He was activated on Aug. 20, but was able to make only two starts before returning to the DL on Friday.

"It's just gotten to the point where it doesn't appear like he's going to be able to get to the point where he can play a full game," Proefrock said. "We've decided the best thing to do is just to shut him down and let him rest, go home in the next couple of days."

Surgery for Worley

Vance Worley had right elbow surgery on Friday.

Worley, who was placed on the disabled list on Aug. 29, had a small body and small spur removed from his pitching elbow, Proefrock said Friday. Worley had been pitching with a loose body in his elbow since landing on the DL for the first time this season in mid-May.

"He's doing well," Proefrock said.

Team physician Michael Ciccotti performed the surgery. Worley is expected to rejoin the team Saturday and begin his rehab program.

Worley, who turns 25 later this month, went 6-9 with a 4.20 ERA in his second full season in the Phillies rotation. He is expected to be ready for spring training.

Phillers

Kevin Frandsen was a late scratch to the Phillies' lineup on Friday with left ankle soreness. Frandsen came up limping on a play at first base on Sunday in Atlanta, but started in each of the next two games in Cincinnati. Michael Martinez started in place of Frandsen at third base . . . Brian Schneider was back in the Philly area Thursday, when his wife gave birth to a daughter, Haven Suzanne. Schneider is expected to return to Clearwater, Fla., to continue his rehab, but is unlikely to play again this season. The 35-year-old backup catcher was placed on the DL on Aug. 24 with a left hamstring strain. He is also continuing to battle a right ankle sprain, which landed him on the DL in June . . . The Phils could add Double A Reading slugger Darin Ruf before the end of the weekend. Reading dropped the second game of its best-of-five playoff series with Trenton on Thursday. With two more losses, the R-Phils would be eliminated from the postseason. Ruf, 26, a first baseman who has been getting increasing reps in leftfield, is hitting .317 with 38 home runs and 104 RBI in 139 games at Reading.

Contact Ryan Lawrence at lawrenr@phillynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @RyanLawrence21.