SAN DIEGO — The Orioles are reinstating Albert Suárez from the injured list and recalling Maverick Handley as their Sept. 1 roster additions.

Tyler Wells, who hasn’t pitched in a major league game in 16 months while he recovered from ulnar collateral ligament repair surgery, will also make his return during this three-game series against the Padres when he takes the mound on Tuesday, his first start since April 12, 2024.

“I’ve sat out there and I’ve thought about it a lot of nights just getting back here. I mean, even like the day I had surgery I was already thinking about how it’s going to end up being,” he said. “It’s definitely kind of like, man that was a long time ago and a lot has changed since then. I’m just really looking forward to getting the opportunity to go back out there and show everyone what I’ve got.”

For Wells, returning in time to pitch the last month of the season gives him a chance to get his feet under him before going into a normal offseason. He has experience as both a reliever and a starter, and the Orioles will have a decision to make next spring about the best path for him moving forward.

Wells is a starter for now, and with Kyle Bradish back in the mix after he made his his season debut last week, the Orioles will move to a six-man rotation for the rest of the season. Cade Povich, Dean Kremer, Tomoyuki Sugano and Trevor Rogers will fill the remaining spots.

Wells was one of the Orioles’ best starters in the first three months of the 2023 season, pitching to a 3.21 ERA before fatigue set in. He was optioned to Double-A at the end of July, returning in September as a reliever after Félix Bautista went on the injured list. Wells entered 2024 expected to return to the rotation, but made only three starts before elbow pain crept in.

The team attempted to rehab it without surgery but ultimately made the decision in June 2024 to have Wells undergo ulnar collateral ligament repair surgery in his right elbow with an internal brace augmentation. It was an alternative to Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery — which he had in 2019, when he was in the Twins organization — but still requires a lengthy recovery.

Now, he’s set to return, and this time he’ll get to pitch in front of his daughter, Ava, who was born in March. Wells had a turquoise and pink glove made with her name printed on it, but he said he is not planning to use it Tuesday because it too closely resembles the Padres’ City Connect uniform.

“During this whole process, with her being born and obviously the relationship that me and my wife have continued to grow, and you know it’s just I think a testament to not just the work that I was able to put in the training room and on the field but also away from the game,” he said. “It just makes it that much more special.”

Like Wells, this last month is a chance for Suárez to set himself up for 2026. His future could be as a reliever or starter, but he will be used out of the bullpen for now. He was used in both roles last season — his first in MLB since 2017 after spending time in South Korea and Japan — pitching to a 3.70 ERA in 32 appearances.

“He’s one of the unsung heroes from 2024,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “He was a really important piece of this coming in, kind of a swing man that can throw out of the pen and spot start for you and be a really good spot starter. There’s some leadership there, there’s some maturity. It’s a grown man in the clubhouse.”

Handley, who made his MLB debut in April, was involved in a scary collision against the Yankees on June 22. He had a concussion and a wrist injury and was out for nearly two months. He was activated on Aug. 17 and sent to Triple-A Norfolk, and will now get to make his return to the major league team.

“It’s been a journey, man,” Handley said. “It was a rough collision and listening to the training staff, medical staff, having them guide me. But I feel 100% and ready to go back at it.”

With Samuel Basallo and Alex Jackson also on the roster, the Orioles are currently carrying three catchers. They will likely go back down to two catchers, Mansolino said, with the return of Jorge Mateo, who has been since June with elbow inflammation and then a hamstring strain. He could be back as early as Friday, when the Orioles return home to face the Dodgers.