Blue Jays activate RHP Garcia, recall RHP Swanson

The Toronto Blue Jays activated right-handed relief pitcher Yimi Garcia from the 15-day injured list and recalled right-handed reliever Erik Swanson from Triple-A Buffalo on Friday, the team announced.

Both pitchers will be active for the first game of the second half, which is against the Detroit Tigers in Toronto. Canadian relief pitcher Zach Pop was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.

Garcia, 33, was placed on the injured list with right elbow neuritis on June 17. He had been serving as the team's primary closer with Jordan Romano having been placed on the shelf with elbow surgery. 

In 27 games, the Moca, Dominican Republic native has a 2.57 earned-run average with 37 strikeouts and five saves in 28.0 innings pitched.

Swanson, 30, was optioned to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons on May 28 to open up room for Chad Green to be activated. The veteran, who held a strong 2.97 ERA in 69 games a season ago, has struggled mightily this year for the Blue Jays and for the Bisons in the minors.

In 13.2 innings pitched across 17 games, Swanson has an ERA of 9.22 with the Blue Jays. In 16.2 innings with the Bisons, his ERA sits at 11.34. 

Pop, a native of Brampton, Ont., has an ERA of 5.90 in 34 games with the Blue Jays this season.

Toronto enters the second half of the campaign at 44-52, 9.5 games out of the final American League wild-card slot and ahead of only three teams in the AL standings.