Perkins (shoulder) was activated prior to Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader against Cleveland, Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press reports.

EDGE Analysis

Perkins is making his return to the mound after landing on the disabled list in mid-April of 2016. The left-hander has suffered multiple setbacks following labrum surgery, but appears to be at full health after appearing in six rehab outings over the course of the last month. His most recent appearance came Aug. 14 with Double-A Chattanooga, tossing a scoreless inning while adding in two strikeouts. Moving forward, Perkins figures to work his way back into high-leverage situations, although manager Paul Molitor may ease him along in hopes of keeping the 34-year-old in good condition. Since 2011, Perkins has been a key reliever for the Twins, and performed well during his role as the closer from 2013-2015, earning 30-plus saves in each of those seasons.