Rays activate reliever Jesse Crain from disabled list

Published Sep. 23, 2013 2:04 p.m. ET

foxsports

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- In what he called "a long time coming," Tampa Bay Rays reliever Jesse Crain was activated from the 60-day disabled list Monday. He will be available for the series finale between the Rays and Baltimore Orioles on Monday afternoon at Tropicana Field.

Crain, 32, was on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain since he was acquired in a trade with the Chicago White Sox on July 29. He last appeared in a game June 29 in a loss to the Cleveland Indians.

"It will be good to go out there and see how I respond, see how my stuff is," Crain said. "I don't know when they'll put me in . . . All these games are important. There isn't too much of a soft spot to go in."

Sunday afternoon, Rays manager Joe Maddon called Crain's progress "a great relief" and credited the work of the reliever and head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield for their joint effort. Monday, Maddon said Crain will throw about 20 pitches when he is used again.

"He has worked so hard to get back to this moment," Maddon said. "It's always about the athlete first, but you need somebody in your corner. And I think Ronnie has been that guy for him."

Crain, a 10-year veteran, was named a first-time All-Star this season. He has a 0.74 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings.

"Real excited to be able to go out there and see where I'm at and get right back into it," Crain said.

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