ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Prior to tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Boston Red Sox returned first baseman Mitch Moreland from his injury rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket and reinstated him from the 10-day injured list. To make room for Moreland on the 25-man roster, the club optioned infielder Marco Hernández to Pawtucket.

President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski made the announcement.

Moreland, 33, was placed on the injured list on June 8 with a right quad strain. He appeared in four rehab games with the PawSox, making three starts at first base and one as the designated hitter. Moreland has played in 47 games for Boston this season, slugging .543 with 13 home runs and 34 RBI. He has averaged one home run per 11.62 at-bats in 2019, the best ratio of his career. Selected by Texas in the 2007 June Draft, Moreland has hit .250 (891-for-3,559) with 160 home runs and 535 RBI over 10 major league seasons between Texas (2010-16) and Boston (2017-19).

Hernández, 26, started at second base last night in Tampa Bay and was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. After missing the majority of the 2017 season and all of 2018 recovering from left shoulder surgery, he has hit a career-best .339 (21-for-62) over 27 games for Boston this season following his recall on June 8. Acquired from the Cubs in 2014, Hernández has appeared in 88 games for Boston, batting .304 (52-for-171) while making 19 starts at second base, 15 at third base, and six at shortstop.