Cincinnati Reds make a move at catcher

Credit: Jon Durr

Credit: Jon Durr

The Cincinnati Reds apparently decided Tony Cruz is not the answer as Tucker Barnhart’s backup at catcher.

The club sent Cruz to the minors Thursday and acquired Curt Casali from the Tampa Bay Rays for cash.

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On Friday, they brought Casali up to the major-league team and designated Rosell Herrera for assignment open a spot on the 40-man roster.

Cruz was called up May 8 after Devin Mesoraco was traded to the Mets for Matt Harvey.

He hit .154 with one home run and two RBIs in nine games for the Reds.

The 29-year-old Casali is two years younger than Cruz and has a higher pedigree, having been a 10th-round pick of the Tigers out of Vanderbilt in 2011.

Cruz was a 26th-round pick of the Cardinals in 2007.

Neither of has given any indication he can hit major-league pitching.

Casali is a career .199 hitter with 19 homers in 408 big-league at-bats while Cruz has hit .216 with six homers in 621 at-bats.

Casali was most recently a member of the Durham Bulls, where he was having a decent season (hitting .274 with a .327 on-base percentage and a .780 OPS).

He's no Crash Davis, but he could prove to be an upgrade over Cruz.

READ MORE: Scooter Gennett doesn’t want to be traded

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