Pena back, dropped to sixth in order

The Rays will have another big bat available this weekend as 1B Carlos Pena was activated Friday from the disabled list.

To make room, INF Ben Zobrist was optioned.

Pena had been on the DL since June 4 with a fractured left index finger, but had progressed well through rehab this past week. The left-handed slugger made it through a rehab appearance Thursday night for Vero Beach, and flew with SS Jason Bartlett Friday morning to meet the team in Pittsburgh, where they open a three-game series.

Manager Joe Maddon said he just wanted to ease Pena back into the swing of things by putting him sixth, a move Pena embraced.

*In other pre-game returns, SS Jason Bartlett was tired - but all smiles - in re-joining the team following the birth of his son, Jayden, this week. He quipped his wife Kelly let him sleep for a couple hours, and that the newborn is healthy and doing just fine. Bartlett placed celebratory cigars at the foot of each of his teammate's lockers, and showed off one of the first photos of Jayden.

Bartlett will have a new double play partner for a few days starting Saturday, as with Akinori Iwamura's three-game suspension upheld, Willy Aybar will likely get the start at second for those games.

RAYS

Aki 2b

Crawford, lf

Upton, cf

Hinske, rf

Longoria, 3b

Pena, 1b

Navarro, c

Bartlett, ss

Kazmir, P

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Comments

[Bodog]

This is a pretty good lineup for the Rays tonight, should see fireworks against this AAA pitcher. Going to be even better when Aybar hits leadoff in the rainbow Sox series.