PHILADELPHIA — The chances of Brian Schnieder returning next year are growing slimmer.
The Phillies placed the 35-year-old backup catcher on the DL today with a strained hamstring. To fill his spot, they called up catcher Steven Lerud from Reading.
Sebastian Valle was in AAA but the Phillies didn’t want to call him up because it was too soon and they didn’t want to deplete Lehigh any further.
Lerud is batting .235 in AA as the backup to Valle and now Tommy Joseph.
With Erik Kratz’s fine season, he will be the top candidate to be the backup catcher next year for Carlos Ruiz.
