The plan when Ryan Perry began his rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo last week was for him to be ready for the Detroit Tigers’ game Wednesday in Seattle. All went according to plan as the Tigers activated Perry from the disabled list Wednesday afternoon.
Perry has only appeared in two games this season for Detroit, pitching 1 2/3 innings. He was on the 15-day DL due to an eye infection that developed from allergies to pollen in Florida. His need to use hard contact lenses, as opposed to soft lenses or sports goggles, also contributed to the problem.
To clear a spot on the roster for Perry, reliever Enrique Gonzalez was outrighted to Toledo. That removes him from Detroit’s 40-man roster, and Gonzalez will have the choice of reporting to the Mud Hens or becoming a free agent. Another team could also claim Gonzalez on waivers, but a pitcher who’s allowed seven runs, eight hits and six walks in 5 1/3 innings isn’t likely to draw much interest.
UPDATE: As MLB Trade Rumors points out, outrighting Gonzalez means there's an opening on the 40-man roster. That would allow the Tigers to claim a player on waivers, if needed, without having to make a corresponding roster move.