ATLANTA - The Atlanta Braves filled a hole in their infield Saturday by acquiring shortstop Paul Janish in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds. He is expected to start against the Mets today.
Minor league pitcher Todd Redmond was dealt to Cincinnati.
Janish is a former Chattanooga Lookout who has a .221 batting average with seven home runs and 70 RBIs in 324 major league games. He has spent this season at Class AAA Louisville, batting .237 in 49 games.
The Braves lost starting shortstop Andrelton Simmons to a broken right little finger last Sunday, and the rookie is likely to miss at least four weeks. Veteran Jack Wilson dislocated his right little finger in Friday night's game.
Janish has a .981 fielding percentage in 283 big-league games at shortstop. He played for the Lookouts briefly in 2006 and most of the 2007 season before being promoted to Triple-A.
"He's a proven defensive talent," Atlanta general manager Frank Wren said. "And we felt like, for our club, that was the most important aspect of the acquisition."
Wren said the Braves had a list of three or four guys they were scouting since Simmons' injury. Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez indicated that rookie Tyler Pastornicky, who was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett before Saturday's game, was not a candidate to reclaim the job he lost due to weak defense on May 31.
Redmond, 27, is 69-56 with a 3.57 ERA in eight minor league seasons. The right-hander, who was assigned to Louisville, went 6-6 with a 3.58 ERA in 18 starts for Gwinnett this season.
Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said the trade gives the Reds some pitching depth in the minors. The Reds have used only five starters through the first 87 games this season, a franchise record.
Cincinnati's pitching staff has kept the Reds in contention in the NL Central. The staff ERA of 3.39 was Cincinnati's best at the All-Star break since 1990.