Dodgers activate Hanley Ramirez from disabled list

Shortstop Hanley Ramirez was reinstated from the disabled list Monday, more than two weeks before he was initially projected to return from thumb surgery.

Ramirez was moved into the Dodgers roster spot that previously belonged to Clayton Kershaw, who was put on the bereavement list because of a death in his family. Kershaw has left the team but is expected to take his scheduled turn in the rotation Friday in San Francisco.

Kershaw has to be out a minimum of three games and a maximum of seven.

Ramirez wasn’t in the lineup Monday but is expected to start at shortstop Tuesday on his bobblehead night.

“I don’t want to wait any longer,” Ramirez said. “I’m a gamer.”

Ramirez played two games with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga over the weekend and was three for six with a double and three runs batted in. Ramirez wore a splint to protect his surgically repaired right thumb and acknowledged that his throwing was “not 100%.”

“I just have to get used to it,” Ramirez said. “If I want to play, I’m going to have to play with it.”

Ramirez underwent surgery March 22 for a ligament he tore in the World Baseball Classic. The Dodgers estimated he would take eight weeks to recover, which set his projected return date at May 17.

Zack Greinke starts throwing

Right-hander Zack Greinke started playing catch last week and is throwing the ball 90 feet. Greinke underwent surgery on his fractured non-throwing shoulder two weeks ago.

“It’s going about how we expected, I think,” Greinke said. “It’s still a little bit achy.”

Greinke declined to offer any details of his recent phone conversation with Carlos Quentin, the San Diego Padres outfielder who charged the mound and injured him.

Greinke also wouldn’t comment on how Padres President Tom Garfinkel accused him of intentionally throwing at Quentin and compared him to the character with autism in the movie “Rain Man.” Greinke has overcome well-publicized bouts with social anxiety disorder and depression.

Garfinkel, whose comments were recorded without his knowledge, has since apologized.

Ned Colletti is dealing with loss

General Manager Ned Colletti will return to his native Chicago on Tuesday to attend the funeral for his mother, Dolores, who died Monday at 83.

Colletti fondly recalled how she called him immediately after the Dodgers were eliminated from the playoffs in 2008 and 2009 to tell him how proud he should be of his teams.

Yasiel Puig is activated

A day after he was arrested, top outfield prospect Yasiel Puig hit a home run and had a walk-off hit for double-A Chattanooga (Tenn.). Puig, who was sidelined for the previous week because of a bruised thumb, was reinstated from the seven-day disabled list.

Chattanooga police offered more details on Puig’s arrest, as Officer Nathan Hartwig said Puig was driving 97 mph in a 50-mph zone.

Short hops

Korean pop sensation Psy will visit Dodger Stadium on Tuesday. Starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu will present him with his jersey after the game. … With a large crowd expected Tuesday night, stadium gates will open at 4:40 p.m. … Chris Capuano, who is on the disabled list because of a strained calf, is scheduled to make a minor league rehabilitation start for triple-A Albuquerque on Wednesday. Capuano threw a pain-free bullpen session Monday.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com