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Catcher Erik Kratz among three minor leaguers called up to Phillies

Catcher glad to be back with ballclub, but pitchers Dalier Hinojosa, Colton Murray likely to see more action.

NEW YORK - About 3 1/2 hours before first pitch last night, Erik Kratz snuck up behind Carlos Ruiz and wrapped his arms around the 5-10 catcher's chest. The 6-4 Kratz lifted Ruiz off the ground before putting him back on his feet.

Ruiz turned around and smiled before the teammates, reunited again, shook hands and hugged.

"You get to play with guys, you appreciate them as players," Kratz said. "A fan, they appreciate them as players. But, as teammates, you get to see what kind of men people are. You get to see what kind of person somebody is, day in and day out. The real person shines.

"That dude . . . he's awesome."

Kratz, 35, a Telford, Pa., native, was one of three players the Phillies promoted to the big club yesterday morning, as major league rosters expanded on the first day of this month.

The Phillies recalled reliever Dalier Hinojosa - who made three appearances with the team earlier in the season after being claimed off waivers from the Red Sox - and selected the contracts of Kratz and relief pitcher Colton Murray. All three players came from Lehigh Valley and arrived at Citi Field yesterday.

"I really enjoy the organization, they've always treated me really well," Kratz said. "It's just good to be back in the big leagues.

"It never loses its excitement."

Kratz, who last played with the Phillies in 2013, has bounced around a lot this year among the Kansas City, Boston and Seattle organizations before the Phillies re-signed him in mid-July. In 26 games with the IronPigs, he hit .312, with eight doubles, three home runs and 15 RBI. He won't see much playing time with the Phillies, however, according to interim manager Pete Mackanin. Cameron Rupp has earned "the brunt" of the playing time in September, Mackanin said.

Mackanin said that Kratz' experience will be useful, and that having a third catcher will make it easier for him to pinch-hit and pinch-run in various spots for the catcher where he couldn't before.

Hinojosa, 29, who had a 5.54 ERA in 13 innings at Lehigh Valley, threw five scoreless innings in his three Phillies appearances from July 31 to Aug. 6. Murray, a 13th-round pick of Philadelphia in 2011, reached the big leagues for the first time. The 25-year-old righty is 8-3 with a 2.67 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings between Reading and Lehigh Valley this year.

Those two are much more likely to see playing time than Kratz. More reinforcements could come later in the season after the Reading and Lehigh Valley seasons end.

With the Phillies likely to go to a six-man rotation soon, the new pitching additions will help Mackanin better control innings between his bullpen and starting pitchers.

"It gives me a little more leeway of perhaps taking a starter out of the game earlier than I could have before," Mackanin said. "In the past, I've had to leave a starter in the game to get his butt kicked, because I couldn't go to the bullpen."

Fall ball

When the Reading Fightin' Phils season ends - and, after clinching a playoff berth Monday, it might be later than sooner - top prospect J.P. Crawford will still have plenty of baseball ahead of him before the calendar year comes to a close.

Crawford, Baseball America's fifth-ranked prospect, is one of seven Phillies who will play in the Arizona Fall League next month.

Crawford, 20, is hitting .270 in 326 at-bats in Reading this season. The shortstop will be joined by five of his Fightin' Phils teammates in Arizona: outfielder Dylan Cozens, catcher Andrew Knapp, and pitchers Tom Windle, Nick Pivetta and Edubray Ramos. High A Clearwater pitcher Yacksel Rios will join the six Reading players, who will all play with the Glendale Desert Dogs.

Play in the Arizona Fall League begins Oct. 13.

A glimpse of the future

Aaron Nola will take the hill tonight against Mets pitcher Matt Harvey, who sports an 11-7 record and a stellar 2.48 ERA across 160 innings of work in his first season back from Tommy John surgery.

Nola, 22 - who is 5-1 with a 3.26 ERA - and Harvey project to be staples on the rosters of the Phillies and Mets, respectively, for years to come.

"It's cool. I watched him a good bit on TV before I got up here," Nola said. "I hadn't seen him pitch in person yet; tomorrow will be the first time. It's cool to pitch against a guy like that, who's such an athlete, such a competitor. I think it will be fun.

"There's going to be a lot of electricity."

It will be Nola's first time facing the Mets. He's allowed only one run and five hits in his last two starts, both wins. Harvey is 5-1 in seven career starts against the Phillies (1-1 this year) with a 1.99 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings pitched.