Reds activate Ryan Hanigan; place Corky Miller on DL

Jun 25, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Cincinnati Reds catcher Ryan Hanigan (29) strikes out swinging ahead of Oakland Athletics catcher Stephen Vogt (21) during the fifth inning at O.co Coliseum. The Oakland Athletics defeated the Cincinnati Reds 7-3. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

It’s been a rough year for Cincinnati Reds catcher Ryan Hanigan at the plate, but he is still an upgrade on what the team has been getting from that spot, and he is in the lineup on Friday night.

The Reds officially activated Hanigan from the 15-day disabled list on Friday, where he had been since July 11th with a sprained wrist. In the corresponding move, the team placed catcher Corky Miller on the DL with a bruised thigh, and as a result, “lost” his career .575 OPS in the process.

With all snark aside, Hanigan is a clear upgrade for the Reds over Miller, and he should compete with youngster Devin Mesoraco for at-bats behind the plate. For the 2013 season, the 32-year-old has struggled to a sub-.600 OPS, but for his career, Hanigan has a strong .361 on-base percentage in 1,488 plate appearances, and he’s been an above-average offensive catcher for the majority of his lengthy career.

We will know soon (maybe as early as Friday) if Hanigan has fully recovered from the wrist injury enough to put some “pop” into the Cincinnati lineup. The team trails the streaking Pittsburgh Pirates by 7 games, but if Hanigan and the soon-arriving Ryan Ludwick can help, they’ll have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs in the National League.

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