Notes: Kiermaier close; Poppen acquired

After getting Ji-Man Choi in the lineup for the first time this season on Sunday, the Rays are set to welcome back Kevin Kiermaier soon as well.

Kiermaier, who hasn’t played since May 8 due to a sprained left wrist, went through a full workout at Camden Yards on Tuesday before Tampa Bay’s series opener against Baltimore. The veteran center fielder is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list Wednesday, and he could be ready after serving the minimum 10-day stint.

“He's getting very close,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “He's in a really good spot. … The best I can say, he's very, very close.”

Cash said Kiermaier will not require a Minor League rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham, which means he could be reinstated to Tampa Bay's roster as soon as Wednesday. The Rays cleared a spot for his potential return by optioning corner infielder Kevin Padlo to Triple-A Durham after they beat the Orioles, 13-6, on Tuesday. Padlo played the final two innings at third base; he is 1-for-12 with a double and eight strikeouts in the big leagues this season.

Kiermaier has hit .217/.299/.290 with three doubles, one triple and three stolen bases in 23 games this season. He previously missed 11 games due to a strained left quad. Brett Phillips has started every game in center field -- with Manuel Margot in right field for all but one game and a mix of Randy Arozarena, Austin Meadows and Brandon Lowe in left -- since Kiermaier, a 2015 Platinum Glove Award winner, went down with the injury in Oakland.

Poppen acquired from Pirates
The Rays added to their bullpen depth on Tuesday by sending cash considerations to the Pirates for right-hander Sean Poppen. Pittsburgh designated the 27-year-old for assignment last Thursday. Poppen will report to Durham.

Poppen has struggled in the Majors, posting a 6.53 ERA in 13 appearances out of the bullpen despite striking out 23 batters in 20 2/3 innings. But he has put up solid numbers in the Minors, with a 3.39 ERA and 413 strikeouts in 413 2/3 innings through 85 outings, including 72 starts. The Harvard product throws a sinker that clocks in around 94 mph and a slider that has produced impressive whiff rates during his brief big league action with the Twins and the Pirates.

“Anytime we acquire guys and they're going to Durham, it's fair to envision that there's a scenario that they can help us,” Cash said. “Briefly talking to [general manager Erik Neander] this afternoon, we'll take all the pitching that we can get, and the Poppen guy seems to be a guy that he's got a pretty big fastball. Maybe there's some messaging that [Durham pitching coach] Rick Knapp can provide and we can see if we can help him, and in return he helps us at some point throughout the year.”

Tampa Bay entered Sunday with two open spots on its 40-man roster and has since filled those spots with cash trades for infielder/outfielder Wyatt Mathisen from the D-backs on Sunday and Poppen on Tuesday.

Around the horn
• Right-hander Michael Wacha (right hamstring tightness) will face hitters in another simulated game on Wednesday afternoon at Camden Yards. Righty Chris Mazza (right shoulder inflammation) has reported to Durham to begin a rehab assignment, though he might face hitters in a simulated game before officially joining the club.

• Left-hander Ryan Yarbrough is scheduled to start Wednesday in Baltimore after making his last two appearances as a bulk-innings reliever following an opener. Veteran lefty Rich Hill will pitch in Thursday’s series finale, most likely as a starter.

• After throwing 103 pitches over six innings against the Astros on April 30, Yarbrough has worked only four innings on 65 pitches and 3 1/3 innings on 56 pitches his last two times out. He has been quite effective in those two outings, allowing just one run on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven, and he said he understands that Cash is utilizing pitchers to put the team in the best position to win.

“I think it's all for a rhyme or reason, right? There's always a strategy and an explanation behind it so that you understand,” Yarbrough said. “So that's kind of the biggest thing is they say, 'Hey, this is why we're doing things. This is what we believe is the best reason and why we're going about something.' So that's kind of the way it's always been handled.”

• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Rays’ weekend sweep of the Mets at Tropicana Field marked the first time in franchise history that they swept a multigame series against a team that entered the series on a winning streak of seven games or more.