Los Angeles Angels shortstop Erick Aybar is in the lineup Sunday against the Kansas City Royals after missing three games with a back injury, according to the Orange County Register. Aybar's return confirms his previous self assessment that a disabled list stint was not necessary, and he will bring a .273 batting average back into the sixth lineup spot Sunday night.

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Erick Aybar is not in the lineup for the third consecutive game Saturday because of a back injury, but he does not believe he will be placed on the 15-day disabled list, according to the Los Angeles Times. Aybar was able to take fielding practice Saturday, and though he has not yet been able to hit, the organization has maintained that the injury is mild. His .646 OPS this season is his worst mark since 2010, but manager Mike Scioscia said that Aybar remains a very valuable part of the lineup. “It’s an eye-opener for some people when a person like Erick is not there, because a lot of people take him for granted,” Scioscia said. “Not us. He’s part of the heartbeat of this team. He plays every game, every inning, and he plays at a high level. He can do so many things on the field that help you win games. A big piece of our lineup is missing.”

Aybar went 5-for-5 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored in a win over the Rangers on Friday. The five hits marked a career-high for Aybar, raising his average from .261 to .274 this season. Despite the nice performance, Aybar has tallied just a .607 OPS with one stolen base over 96 at-bats in June.

Aybar hit his second home run of the season as part of a 2-for-4 game Tuesday against the Yankees. Aybar had just one home run in 301 plate appearances heading into Tuesday's game and he hadn't homered since May 26 against San Diego. Aybar was dealing with a hamstring injury that restricted him to a pinch-hitting role over the weekend, but he appears to be fully back in action after playing complete games the past two nights.

Aybar (hamstring) will return to the starting lineup Monday against the Yankees, Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com reports. Aybar missed the last two starts as a result of the injury, but was able to pinch-hit in Sunday's contest against the Mariners. He has tallied just a .565 OPS with three extra-base hits in 89 at-bats in June.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia expects Aybar (hamstring) to rejoin the lineup for Monday's game against the Yankees, MLB.com's David Adler reports. Aybar hit a game-tying RBI single in a pinch-hit appearance during Sunday's win over the Mariners. He hasn't started since Friday, but he also made a pinch-hit appearance Saturday, suggesting the injury has never been considered serious.

Aybar (hamstring) remains out of the lineup Sunday against the Mariners. Aybar is still listed as a reserve on the Angels' official roster sheet, so the club is viewing him as day-to-day while he contends with what's believed to be minor tightness in his hamstring. Taylor Featherston will get the call at shortstop for Sunday's series finale, with the Angels hoping that Aybar will be ready to go by next week.

Aybar (hamstring) is out of the lineup Saturday against the Mariners. Aybar left Friday's game with tightness in his left hamstring and will be held out of Saturday's contest. The veteran has played in 71 out of 74 games this season, but the Angels will turn to Taylor Featherston to fill in at shortstop Saturday.

Aybar exited Friday's game in the top of the seventh inning with left hamstring tightness. Prior to leaving, Aybar went 1-for-2 with a double (which he unsuccessfully tried to stretch to a triple) and a sacrifice. Taylor Featherston replaced Aybar at short and would be in line to start Saturday if Aybar is forced to sit.

Aybar went 3-for-6 and scored a run Wednesday against the Astros. He's now hit safely in six consecutive games, lifting his average from .246 to .260 in that span, but that doesn't do a whole lot to take the edge off what's been an awful season for Aybar. His OPS is still nearly 100 points lower than last year, and he's running less often -- not a formula for significant fantasy value.