Joe Mauer had the Class A Florida State League in his rear-view mirror Tuesday night as he made the three-hour drive from West Palm Beach to Fort Myers.

After seven long months, Mauer finally was ready to return to the Twins for tonight's game against Kansas City. Five rehab games with the Fort Myers Miracle only fueled his excitement.

"I can't wait to get back," Mauer said, as he navigated the darkness along State Road 80. "It gives me an appreciation for being in the big leagues. I don't think I lost track of that, but I definitely got a reminder."

Mauer went 6 for 15 (.400) for the Miracle and caught back-to-back games twice in his final test before being activated from the disabled list.

It's been quite a saga.

After playing through lower-back pain late last season, Mauer had several tests before having surgery to remove a kidney obstruction Dec. 22 at Rochester's Mayo Clinic.

There was hope he would be ready for spring training, but as February turned to March, Mauer kept feeling pain in his right sacroiliac joint when he ran.

This year will be different. Manager Ron Gardenhire said Mauer probably will catch two games and then rest one, at least initially. Gardenhire said he'll be less inclined to give Mauer DH duty because Jason Kubel is entrenched in that role and four other outfielders are vying for those at-bats.

"The goal hasn't changed, and that's to get to the postseason," Mauer said of the batting title talk. "I think everything else will take care of itself."

Josh Hamilton expects to remain out of the Texas lineup until at least next week even though the slugger's strained left rib cage muscle is feeling better after medication and treatment. While Hamilton felt better, he cautioned that he had not yet resumed baseball activity. "I'm good, better," Hamilton said. "That doesn't mean that if I got in here and swung that I wouldn't be right back to where I was."

Baltimore pitcher Jamie Walker was fined for criticizing umpire Angel Hernandez. Hernandez called a balk on Walker in the seventh inning of Tuesday night's 7-5 loss to the Angels at Camden Yards when the left-hander appeared to pick off Maicer Izturis. "It's a [terrible] call," Walker said. "I don't know if the guy's got something against me or what, but no way did I balk. It changed the whole game. ... It's unacceptable at this level." Bob Watson, baseball's vice president for discipline, imposed the fine.

Los Angeles purchased the contract of right-hander Jeff Weaver from Class AAA Albuquerque, optioned infielder Blake DeWitt to the Pacific Coast League club and activated right-hander Cory Wade from the disabled list.