Mets reinstate catcher Josh Thole; select RHP Elvin Ramirez

FLUSHING, N.Y. – The New York Mets today announced the team returned catcher Josh Thole from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him from the 15-Day Disabled List, and selected the contract of righthanded pitcher Elvin Ramirez from Buffalo.  In order to make room on the active roster, the club designated righthanded pitcher Chris Schwinden for assignment and optioned catcher Rob Johnson to Buffalo (AAA) of the International League.  Ramirez will wear #62 and will be available for tonight’s game.

Thole, 25, hit .284 (23-81) with one home run and seven RBI in 26 games before a concussion forced him to the Disabled List on May 8.  The 6-1, 214-pounder appeared in two games with Buffalo (AAA) of the International League as part of his rehabilitation assignment, and went 1-5 (.200).

Ramirez, 24, split his season to this point between Binghamton (AA) of the Eastern League and Buffalo.  The 6-3, 210-pound native of San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, went 0-1 with a 1.38 ERA (two earned runs/13.0 innings) and one save for the BMets before a promotion to the Bisons.  With the Triple-A club, Ramirez did not allow a run and went 3-0 with a save and 19 strikeouts in 14.2 innings. Over the two stops, Ramirez struck out 35 batters in 27.2 innings (11.39 K/9).

The Washington Nationals selected Ramirez in the 2010 Rule 5 Draft, but returned the righthander to the Mets on October 18, 2011. He missed all of the 2011 season after undergoing a right shoulder debridement of the rotator cuff and labrum on May 10, 2011.  Dr. Timothy Kremchek performed the operation.

Schwinden, 25, went 0-1 with a 12.46 ERA (12 earned runs/8.2 innings) in three games, two starts for the Mets this season.

Johnson, 29, hit .313 (10-32) with one RBI in 11 games for the team this year.