DENVER -- Rays infielder/designated hitter Steve Pearce (strained hamstring) was scheduled to join the club in Denver on Monday night, and manager Kevin Cash said the plan is to activate Pearce from the disabled list on Tuesday.
Infielder Nick Franklin was optioned to Triple-A Durham following Monday's 7-4 loss to the Rockies.
Pearce was placed on the DL on June 21 after injuring his right hamstring the night before during a game against the Indians in Cleveland.
Pearce was slashing .322/.393/.540 with nine home runs and 25 RBIs before being sidelined. He played in a second rehab game with Class-A Advanced Charlotte on Sunday, going 1-for-3 while playing first base. In his two rehab games, he went 3-for-7.
Dickerson not in starting lineup for return to Coors, but will play in series
Left fielder Corey Dickerson returned to Coors Field on Monday for the first time since being traded to the Rays by the Rockies during the offseason. Dickerson slashed .299/.345/.534 in three seasons for the Rockies, and is a career .355/.410/.675 hitter at Coors Field.
Dickerson entered Monday's action batting .223/.275/.439. He wasn't in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against left-hander Tyler Anderson, but he did strike out in a pinch-hit appearance Monday before playing left field.
"He'll play [Tuesday]," said Cash prior to Monday's game. "He'll get his opportunities to hit in his old ballpark -- we know he's had a lot of success in this ballpark."
"I think the biggest adjustment is seeing new pitchers, a new division, new ballparks, a new role, a bunch of variables," Dickerson said of his struggles so far in 2016. "I feel like a month or two into the season I started to feel more comfortable, like I don't have to impress anybody or I don't have to be anybody else."
Longoria talks Arenado
Rays third baseman Evan Longoria is a three-time All-Star and one of the best third basemen in the American League. Since the last time he visited Colorado, however, another third baseman has made his mark as one of the best in the game: the Rockies' Nolan Arenado.
"I know he's at the top of every offensive category and is one of the best players in the league, there's no doubt about that," Longoria said.
"And I remember probably in 2013 -- the last time we were here -- I remember Troy Tulowitzki was actually still renting my place in Spring Training when he was with the Rockies. And Nolan was living with him for one of the years, and I remember him mentioning Nolan and how talented a player he was, and that he was gonna be the next guy. And it turned out that Tulo's a pretty good talent evaluator."
Longoria is having one of his best seasons since his last All-Star campaign in 2010, entering Monday batting .286/.336/.533 with 21 home runs and 49 RBIs. Meanwhile, Arenado continues his ascension in the National League, batting .289/.363/.564 with 23 home runs and an NL-leading 71 RBIs going into Monday's contest.