The Houston Astros reinstated reliever Bennett Sousa and starter Ronel Blanco from the injured list prior to Monday’s series opener against the Miami Marlins.

Blanco was activated to start Monday in his return to the majors from Tommy John surgery. Sousa had been on the injured list since May 9 due to elbow inflammation.

Infielder Raynel Delgado was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move. Houston had an open active roster spot due to optioning reliever Bryan King to Triple-A following Sunday’s game.

Sousa, who had a 2.84 ERA in 44 outings for the Astros last year, started this season on the IL recovering from an oblique injury. He made five outings with an 8.10 ERA before returning to the IL with the elbow issue. In five minor-league rehab outings before his reinstatement, Sousa allowed one unearned run. He did not pitch back-to-back days, making it unclear if that is an option initially upon his return.

Sousa takes the bullpen spot vacated by King, who was optioned to Triple-A after a four-outing stretch in which he allowed eight runs and five home runs over five innings. King had a 2.03 ERA in 38 appearances before that stretch and was one of the Astros’ top leverage relievers. Manager Joe Espada said it “wasn’t an easy conversation” with King and the Astros hope he can “work on some stuff” at Triple-A.

“He has that invisible fastball especially against righties — trying to get it to be not so much general in the plate, kind of look for certain areas that he can go and get some swing and miss,” Espada said. “Huge improvement with his slider, especially against lefties. But we gave him a plan, an objective, for him to go down and look at some stuff.”

Delgado was recalled Sunday and started at second base with Jeremy Peña and Christian Walker absent from the Astros’ lineup due to injury concerns. Peña returned to the lineup Monday and Walker was potentially available off the bench. The Astros designated reliever Nate Pearson for assignment to clear a roster spot for Delgado, so Monday’s roster moves left them with 13 pitchers and 13 position players.

Both Blanco and Sousa were on the 60-day injured list. Their activations left Houston with one open spot on its 40-man roster.