Pirates starting pitcher Quinn Priester returns to active roster after 1 month on injured list

With Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitchers Jared Jones and Bailey Falter injured and unavailable, Quinn Priester is back on the active roster.

In advance of the start of a six-game road trip, the Pirates ended the rehab assignment of Priester on Tuesday and activated him from the 15-day injured list.

Priester, who was 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA (nine innings, three earned runs) in two starts with the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, was placed on the injured list June 6 with a right lat muscle injury. In six starts with the Pirates earlier this season, he was 0-5 with a 4.83 ERA and 1.55 WHIP, allowing seven home runs, striking out 20 and walking 10 in 31 2/3 innings.

Manager Derek Shelton said on his radio show Tuesday on 93.7 FM that relief pitcher Josh Fleming will open the game Tuesday night in Milwaukee. He added that Martin Perez, Paul Skenes, Luis Ortiz and Mitch Keller also are expected to start games against the Brewers and Chicago White Sox this week. That leaves one unannounced spot for a starter before the All-Star break.

To make room for Priester, the Pirates optioned outfielder Edward Olivares to Indianapolis. Olivares was hitting .224 with five home runs and 23 RBIs.

In other personnel moves:

• Right-handed closer David Bednar, who has been on the IL since June 23 with a strained left oblique muscle after recording 16 saves, began a rehab assignment with Double-A Altoona.

• Left-handed reliever Ryan Borucki continued his rehab Tuesday night with Altoona. Borucki was 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA and eight strikeouts in five appearances during his rehab assignment with Indianapolis.

• Bednar and Borucki combined to pitch 2 2/3 scoreless innings Tuesday in a 4-0 Altoona victory against the Bowie Baysox. Bednar worked a scoreless inning, throwing 17 pitches (12 strikes). Borucki needed only 14 pitches in his 1 2/3 innings.

• Left-handed relief pitcher Justin Bruihl, who was designated for assignment Sunday, has cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Indianapolis.