Bud Norris, Adam Liberatore activated from disabled list

The Dodgers on Friday activated pitchers Bud Norris and Adam Liberatore from the 15-day disabled list before their series opener against the Reds in Cincinnati.

Norris starts the series opener, six days after making a rehab start with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga.

Norris left his start after just two batters on July 31, and was placed on the disabled list with a mild mid-back strain.

The right-hander, acquired from the Braves on June 30, has a 4.34 ERA since joining the Dodgers, with 32 strikeouts and six unintentional walks in 29 innings.

Liberatore missed 17 games on the shelf with left elbow inflammation, and also just before he went on the DL tweaked his right knee in covering first base in a July 24 game in St. Louis.

The left-hander pitched two games on his minor league rehab assignment, one on Sunday with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga allowing two runs on three hits, and a scoreless inning for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.

Liberatore has been one of manager Dave Roberts’ most trusted setup relief pitchers in 2016, putting up a 1.62 ERA and 2.15 FIP in 44 games, with 39 strikeouts and nine unintentional walks in 33⅓ innings.

Left-handed batters are just 9-for-65 against Liberatore this season, hitting .138/.208/.231.

To make room on the active roster for Norris and Liberatore, the Dodgers optioned pitchers Ross Stripling and Casey Fien to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Both pitched on Thursday in Philadelphia, with Stripling getting the start. Both figure to be back once rosters expand in September, which is just 13 days away.