ST. PETERSBURG -- After missing 12 games with a left hand injury, Yandy Díaz was activated from the injured list and hit second in the Rays’ lineup on Sunday against the Twins. To make room on the active roster, Tampa Bay optioned first baseman Nate Lowe to Triple-A Durham.

Diaz, who had been sidelined since May 19, went down to Port Charlotte, Fla., on Saturday and took a handful of at-bats in extended camp games to test the hand. After having a good day, Diaz and the Rays felt comfortable enough to activate him.

“I feel better today,” Diaz said in Spanish. “I took some at-bats yesterday, and the hand bothered me in the first couple of at-bats, but then I felt better after that.”

The Rays are getting closer to returning to full strength. Catcher Mike Zunino has been back since Friday, and outfielders Avisail Garcia and Tommy Pham, who were to miss their third consecutive games on Sunday, are both expected to return to the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Tigers in Detroit.

“They’re both available, but we need these guys for the long haul,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said about Pham and Garcia. “We’re not going to try to rush into anything with this wraparound day off. If they’re needed to hit late, we’ll definitely go down that path.”

Alvarado placed on family emergency list
The Rays placed left-hander José Alvarado on the family emergency list on Sunday and recalled Adam Kolarek to the active roster. Alvarado has to stay on the list for three to seven days.

“[It’s] more of a private matter,” Cash said. “It’s something he’s been dealing with in his family for quite some time now, and hopefully [he'll] get some good news and we’ll have him back here soon.”

Injury notes
• Catcher Michael Perez (right oblique) was set to begin his rehab assignment Sunday with Class A Advanced Charlotte. Perez has been feeling some discomfort with his oblique when he follows through on his swing, but he has felt much better over the past week.

• Right-hander Tyler Glasnow played catch from 75 feet before Sunday’s game and walked off the field saying everything “felt good.” Glasnow has been sidelined since May 11 with a right forearm strain and won’t be eligible to return from the 60-day injured list until July 10.