Rays activate Ryan Pepiot for start vs. Diamondbacks

The Tampa Bay Rays activated right-hander Ryan Pepiot ahead of his start Friday night against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks .

Pepiot (6-5, 3.92 ERA) has been on the 15-day injured list for the past month with an infection in his right knee that was likely caused by a spider bite during the All-Star break.

He was hospitalized in New York last month due to the infection and received antibiotics in his right knee. The swelling in his knee had reached the point where he needed help to walk into the hospital.

"The first couple days, like, when I went into the hospital, it was real bad," Pepiot said earlier this week. "I couldn't put any weight on my right leg. The first few days it was pretty swollen, a lot of fluid, and it was kind of slushy."

He said the swelling went down, allowing him to get back on the mound. He made a rehab start for Double-A Montgomery over the weekend before rejoining the Rays to prepare for his activation.

Pepiot, who turns 27 next week, is 11-6 with a 3.37 ERA in 34 career games (27 starts) with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2022-23) and Rays.

The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.