The Tampa Bay Rays have activated right-handed pitcher Ryan Pepiot from the 15-day injured list, the team announced Friday afternoon.

Pepiot was placed on the IL on July 21 due to an infection of his right knee. He spent 60 hours in the hospital receiving treatment for his illness, which was caused by an insect bite.

The 26-year-old right-hander threw 3.1 scoreless innings in a rehab start at Double-A Montgomery on Aug. 10 and was reinstated into the major league rotation a week later.

Before being sidelined by his knee problem, Pepiot was 6-5 with a 3.92 ERA, 1.076 WHIP, 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings and a 1.4 WAR in 17 starts this season.

Pepiot is now scheduled to face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night, facing a team that has the league’s best record at 18-3 since July 23. First pitch is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. ET.

The Rays signed Pepiot in December along with outfielder Jonny DeLuca. The two recently graduated prospects were the pieces Tampa Bay got back from the Los Angeles Dodgers when they traded starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Manuel Margot.

In his ten starts and seven relief appearances for the Dodgers, Pepiot went 5-1 with a 2.76 ERA, 1.085 WHIP, 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings and a 1.7 WAR.

Now Pepiot is a key player in the Rays’ rotation. With him, Taj Bradley, Shane Baz, Zack Littell and Jeffrey Springs, Tampa Bay finally has five starters it can rely on with six weeks left in the regular season.

The Rays are currently 59-61, putting them 6.5 games out of the third wild card spot in the American League. Their 2-7 record since August 6 is the worst in the AL during that span.

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