Red Sox Activate C Blake Swihart from 15-Day DL; C Sandy Leon Designated for Assignment

BOSTON, MA - The Boston Red Sox today activated catcher Blake Swihart from the 15-day disabled list. To make room for him on the 25-man roster, catcher Sandy Leon was designated for assignment. Swihart will be active for today's doubleheader against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium. The first game begins at 5:05 p.m. ET.

Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington made the announcement.

Swihart, 23, was placed on the disabled list on July 3 (retroactive to July 1) with a sprained left foot. In a four-game rehab assignment between Triple-A Pawtucket (2 games) and Double-A Portland (2 games), he went 3-for-13 (.231) with a run scored and a double. At the time of his DL stint, the switch-hitter was in his first career major league stint after being recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket on May 2. In 40 games (37 starts) with Boston, he posted a .241 average (32-for-133) with eight doubles, one home run, 16 runs scored, and 11 RBI. Behind the plate, he has thrown out nine of 32 attempted base stealers at the major league level. Over 22 minor league games this season between Triple-A (20 games) and Double-A (2 games), including rehab, Swihart has gone 26-for-85 (.321). Signed as a first-round selection (26th overall) in the 2011 June Draft, he has hit .286 (350-for-1,223) with 76 doubles, 15 triples, 22 home runs, and 170 RBI in 329 career minor league games. He entered the year as the No. 1 catching prospect in all of baseball, according to Baseball America.  

Leon, 26, played in 33 games for the Red Sox this season after being acquired from the Washington Nationals on March 30. He went 16-for-89 (.180) with seven runs, a double, and three RBI, making 28 starts behind the plate and throwing out 56 percent of attempted base stealers (9 of 16). He also appeared once at third base. In parts of four major league seasons between the Nationals (2012-14) and Red Sox (2015), he is a .185 hitter (34-for-184) with 16 runs, four doubles, a homer, 8 RBI, and 17 walks. The native of Venezuela has caught 15 of 31 attempted base stealers (48%) in his big league career.