Cubs activate Lilly from disabled list

The Chicago Cubs activated left-hander Ted Lilly from the 15-day disabled list Saturday to make his first start of the season against the Milwaukee Brewers.

To make room for Lilly, Chicago optioned struggling reliever Jeff Samardzija to Triple-A Iowa.

Lilly was placed on the disabled list on April 4 to continue his recovery from arthroscopic shoulder surgery in November.

Lilly has won 10 or more games in each of his last seven seasons and was 12-9 with a 3.10 ERA for the Cubs last season. In his two minor-league rehab outings with Iowa and Single-A Peoria before Saturday's start, Lilly went 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA, with 13 strikeouts and two walks in 11 innings.

Samardzija was 0-1 with an 18.90 ERA in four appearances this season.