NEW YORK — The Tampa Bay Rays probably will give right-hander Tyler Glasnow one more minor league rehabilitation start before activating him from the injured list.
Sidelined since spring training, Glasnow allowed three hits over four scoreless innings and struck out five for Triple-A Durham against Nashville on Tuesday night. He threw 40 of 57 pitches for strikes.
“Very encouraging. He’s chomping at the bit to get here,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said Wednesday. “I think it’s highly likely that we give him one more start and hopefully it goes as well, gets his pitch count somewhere around the 75 mark and we’ll go from there.”
Glasnow strained his left oblique while throwing batting practice at spring training on Feb. 27. He has made three rehab appearances.
Tampa Bay optioned right-hander Yonny Chirinos to Durham and selected the contract of right-hander Zack Burdi, who made a pair of appearances for the Rays on April 26 and 27. Chirinos had a 2.79 ERA in seven relief appearances.
“Yonny had thrown the ball well for us. I think it’s fair to say we think there’s more there,” Cash said.
First baseman Yandy Diaz, who left Sunday’s game at Yankee Stadium with left groin tightness, took batting practice but probably won’t play until Friday’s homestand opener against Milwaukee.
Right-hander Javier Guerra cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Durham.