Yasiel Puig activated from DL, Dodgers option Carlos Frias to Triple-A Oklahoma City

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers activated Yasiel Puig from the disabled list before Tuesday's game against the Nationals after the outfielder missed nearly three weeks with a strained left hamstring.

To make room the club optioned Carlos Frias back to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Puig was 5-for-12 with a home run and three walks in five minor league rehab games for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga last week, playing 31 total innings in right field. Puig also tested the hamstring with three stolen base attempts, successful once.

On the season with the Dodgers, Puig is hitting just .237/.283/.360 with five home runs and four doubles in 53 games. But his value on defense was painfully obvious watching the rotation of left fielders (with Trayce Thompson filling in for Puig, in right field) in the field in his absence.

Puig missed a total of 17 games on the DL, having last played on June 2.

The Frias move is interesting, not because he wasn't used in his two days in Los Angeles. He was the temporary long man and part of a nine-man bullpen, a number that was bound to go down. But there is still the question of who will fill in for Mike Bolsinger with the starting rotation.

That slot would come up as early as Friday if the Dodgers stay on rotation, though they don't have to thanks to Thursday's off day. But with 17 games in 17 days after Thursday, it is a little odd that the Dodgers aren't using that off day to give the starting rotation extra rest, something they try to do whenever possible.

Among the 40-man starter options, Ross Stripling and Frankie Montas are on the disabled list, and Jharel Cotton pitched Monday, so he wouldn't be ready to pitch until at least Saturday.

The others in Triple-A who line up for Friday are off the 40-man roster, with Brock Stewart all of two starts into his Triple-A tenure, and Jose De Leon, who topped out at 65 pitches and four innings since returning from the DL. Nick Tepesch, another option not on the 40-man roster, last pitched last Friday and isn't currently listed to start for Oklahoma City, at least through Saturday.