Red Sox activate P Rich Hill, designate OF Jaylin Davis

The Boston Red Sox have activated Rich Hill from the COVID-related injury list, and the veteran pitcher is set to start tonight’s game against the Texas Rangers. 

Righty Kutter Crawford was optioned to Triple-A after yesterday’s game, creating space for Hill on the active roster. 

In another move, the Red Sox also announced that outfielder Jaylin Davis has been designated for assignment.

Hill returns after a little over a week on the COVID-IL, as the lefty tested positive for the coronavirus. Now in his fourth different stint with the Red Sox, Hill is still effective, posting a 2.86 ERA over his first five starts and 22 innings of the season.

With Michael Wacha still on the regular injured list due to left intercostal irritation, Hill’s return will bring one full-time starter back into the Red Sox rotation. Nathan Eovaldi, Nick Pivetta, Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck comprised the rest of the starting five, with the expectation that Houck will likely return to bullpen duty once Wacha is ready.

Davis was claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants in late April, and the outfielder has played nine games at Triple-A Worcester and two games at the big league level. That makes it a fourth straight season of MLB action for Davis, albeit in somewhat sparing fashion, with only 28 games and 72 plate appearances.