OAKLAND -- It’s been a long journey, but reliever Sam Tuivailala was activated from the 60-day injured list on Monday and will join the Mariners on Tuesday for the first time since he ruptured his right Achilles tendon in a rundown last August.

The 26-year-old right-hander threw five scoreless innings in five rehab outings for Double-A Arkansas and then pitched back-to-back games for Triple-A Tacoma on Friday and Saturday, allowing one run on three hits over 1 2/3 innings with three strikeouts.

He’ll help bolster a Mariners relief crew that has gone through the most turnover of any team in the Majors this year, with 30 different pitchers already having come out of the bullpen, including two position players and two starters working behind an opener.

The Mariners optioned rookie right-handed relievers Parker Markel and David McKay back to Tacoma, and Tuivailala’s activation leaves one opening on the 25-man roster still to be filled prior to Tuesday’s game against the A’s. Right-hander Andrew Moore was sent outright to Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday.

The club’s 40-man roster is now at 39, with Tuivailala taking one of the two available spots.

Tuivailala was acquired by the Mariners from the Cardinals in a trade for Minor League right-hander Seth Elledge on July 27 of last season and went 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 5 1/3 innings over five appearances before getting hurt.

Markel and McKay return to Tacoma after brief stops with the Mariners. Markel, 28, appeared in one game in his second stint with the club, allowing two earned runs in an inning on Friday in Anaheim. McKay, 24, pitched twice in his latest big league stint, allowing three earned runs in two innings. He gave up just one hit, a home run, but issued five walks.

The Mariners likely will add another reliever on Tuesday to keep their bullpen at eight.