Guardians activate outfielder Angel Martinez, reliever Tim Herrin from IL ahead of series vs Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians activated outfielder Angel Martinez from the 10-day injured list and left-handed reliever Tim Herrin from the 15-day IL on Friday before the start of a series against the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays.

To make room on the roster, left-hander Will Dion and utility man Daniel Schneemann were optioned to Triple-A Columbus.

Cleveland (54-50) enters the weekend series against Tampa Bay 1 1/2 games behind the Chicago White Sox for the top spot in the AL Central.

Martinez, slotted in the leadoff spot to open the series against the Rays, missed 32 games with a fracture in his left foot after fouling a ball off the foot against Detroit on June 13. Martinez was placed on the injured list on June 16 with a non-displaced fracture and missed 32 games. The 24-year-old is hitting .239 with 33 RBIs and is tied for the team lead with 11 home runs.

Martinez appeared in four games on a rehab assignment, playing twice with Double-A Akron and two games with Columbus, combining to go 5 for 12 with a home run and two doubles before joining the Guardians for a pregame workout on Thursday.

Herrin was placed on the IL on July 9 with a left elbow contusion when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of Minnesota’s Royce Lewis a day earlier. Herrin has 27 strikeouts and a 3.06 ERA in 32 1/3 innings in 41 relief appearances this season. He made a pair of appearances in a rehab assignment this week.

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