Cincinnati Reds: As catching injuries pile up, Juan Graterol may get a call

Curt Casali left last night’s game with an injury. The Cincinnati Reds can ill-afford to lose another catcher. If Casali misses time, Juan Graterol would likely be on deck.

Curt Casali was replaced by Kyle Farmer late in the Cincinnati Reds 6-3 win over the Chicago Cubs. In fact, Farmer had key hit for Reds in the eighth inning. If Casali misses any time behind the plate, the team will have to reach into their minor league system or check out the free agent pool. Juan Graterol would be the most likely selection.

Graterol is currently playing the Reds’ Triple-A squad in Louisville. He, along with Stuart Turner, are the only active catchers on the Bats’ roster. Graterol, who’s played 57 games in the minors this season, is hitting .251 with 2 home runs and 26 RBIs. Graterol is much more well known for his defense, not his offense.

The Reds are extremely thin at the catching position. Tucker Barnhart is currently on the injured list with a strained right oblique, meaning Casali has been getting the majority of starts behind the dish. Farmer, who can play multiple positions across the infield, has been Casali’s primary backup.

Casali is considered day-to-day after he left last night’s game with inflammation in his right knee. It doesn’t sound serious, but rest could be in order for the 30-year-old Vanderbilt alum. He spoke after the game with MLB.com:

“I’ve just been dealing with some inflammation in my right knee. Just aggravated it a little more tonight. We did all the tests. Everything is intact. It’s just one of those things I have to manage from now on. More of a nuisance than anything.”

It’s a relief that the injury itself doesn’t sound serious, but injuries like that can certainly linger. My guess would be, if Barnhart wasn’t on the IL, we’d see Casali take several days off. As it is, we may still see Farmer get the next few starts behind the plate in order to give Casali a little rest. Though not his primary position, Farmer has shown he’s more than capable of handling the backstop duties.

With nine straight games in front of them before their next off day, the Cincinnati Reds may look to bring up Graterol regardless of if Casali makes a trip to injured list. Graterol, however, is not on the 40-man roster, so the Reds would have to finagle their roster quite a bit to make that type of move. I honestly don’t see the Reds bringing up Graterol within putting Casali on the IL.

Hopefully Casali is on the mend and the inflammation in his knee doesn’t persist throughout the entire season. Once Barnhart returns, the balance of catching duties will return and Casali can gain a day or two of rest between starts.

Juan Graterol is definitely on standby, as the Cincinnati Reds are in the midst of the their most challenging and most important stretch of the season. With one win to begin the three-game series against the Cubbies, the Reds are looking for a second consecutive victory tonight at Wrigley Field. The Reds are just 5.5 games back of the North Siders.