Orioles activate infielder Ryan Mountcastle from 10-day IL after stint with vertigo

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles activated infielder Ryan Mountcastle from the 10-day injured list on Sunday.

Mountcastle last played on June 8 but has since been sidelined with vertigo. The 26-year-old Mountcastle was batting .227 with 11 home runs and 39 RBI before landing on the IL.

“I'm happy to see him today. He looks great,” said Orioles manager Brandon Hyde.

To make room for Mountcastle on the roster, Baltimore optioned left-hander Bruce Zimmermann to Triple-A Norfolk.

Mountcastle batted .244 through April but struggled at the plate before his time on the IL. He hit just .158 (9 for 57) in his 15 games before his IL stint.

Hyde added Mountcastle's rehab at Norfolk was set to end soon, so the team opted to reinstate him Sunday despite the All-Star break beginning Monday. He was originally placed on the injured list on June 13 after experiencing vertigo symptoms.

“It's not easy, for sure. I felt terrible for him. The whole team did," Hyde said. "He was down in Norfolk for a while trying to get back into the swing of things for a little bit. He's feeling better. He feels great today. That was a tough time."

Mountcastle was not in the starting lineup for Sunday's series finale at Minnesota.

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