(SportsRadio 610) -- Astros right-hander Francis Martes is reinstated after serving a 162-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's performance-enhancing drugs policy.
Martes, who last pitched in the Majors in 2017, was activated off the restricted list to the 40-man roster Saturday and optioned to Triple A Sugar Land.
Astros manager Dusty Baker said the plan is eventually have Martes in their bullpen.
Martes started four games for the Astros in 2017 and mostly pitched in relief. Martes missed most of the 2018 and 2019 seasons due to recovering from Tommy John surgery. He was also suspended 80 games in March 2019 for a failed PED test.
"The long range plans are to put him in the bullpen," Baker said. "Past history says he's responded better to relieving than starting."
