MILWAUKEE - The St. Louis Cardinals activated outfielder Matt Holliday from the 15-day disabled list in time for a series against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Holliday will not be in the lineup Tuesday but is available for pinch-hit duty after recovering from a right quadriceps strain.

"Always having that potential weapon off the bench I think is valuable to us," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said Tuesday afternoon.

The 35-year-old missed 41 games after being sidelined July 30. He had appeared in just 11 games since July 16.

Holliday was batting .290 with four homers and 31 RBIs. He was voted a starter on the National League All-Star team for the first time in his career but did not play due to injury.

Matheny said the team is not going to rush Holliday into the starting lineup.

"Just kind of progressive steps," Matheny said. "But if something clicks and everybody's good on the medical side, Matt's really good with how he feels out there and there's no reservations, it could progress quickly into being every day. But I would imagine it will be a little while, just a valuable right-handed bat off the bench."

Holliday refused to talk to reporters before the game.