D-backs place Alex Avila on 10-day IL, recall Joseph
Jun 14, 2019, 12:25 PM | Updated: 12:27 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Alex Avila, right, and home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez walk off the field at the beginning of a rain delay in the eighth inning of a baseball game between the Diamondbacks and the Washington Nationals, Thursday, June 13, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
In the midst of one of the better short stretches of Alex Avila’s career, the Arizona Diamondbacks catcher will miss time.
Avila suffered a left calf strain during his second at-bat of the game Thursday against the Washington Nationals and the D-backs placed him on the 10-day injured list the following day.
In his place, Arizona has recalled catcher Caleb Joseph from the Triple-A Reno Aces.
In 25 games this season, Avila is hitting .220 with five home runs and 11 RBI. Carson Kelly leads all D-backs catchers in at-bats with 125, while John Ryan Murphy has 62 and Avila has an additional 59. Murphy was designated for assignment on May 25.
Avila has hit a home run in each of the last three games he’s played in. He has done this two other times in his career: most recently from May 31-June 6, 2017, and once from Aug. 2-5, 2011.
Joseph has made nine appearances for Arizona this year for 17 total at-bats and a batting average of .176.
