Worth noting

• Roberto Espinoza, a former catcher in the Cardinals' organization and assigned hitting coach for the rookie-level team in Johnson City (Tenn.), joined the Cardinals on Thursday to serve as a bullpen catcher while Jamie Pogue was away to attend his daughter's high school graduation.

Espinoza also traveled with the club to Cincinnati and will remain with the team at least through the weekend. He is permitted to be in the bullpen in uniform during the game. Mozeliak described the setup as a trial period while the organization determines whether it would be useful to carry the extra catcher. Doing so would give the Cardinals two bullpen catchers to warm up relievers without having to call on Tony Cruz or Yadier Molina to help.

• Mozeliak said that Keith Butler is scheduled to visit Dr. George Paletta for another opinion on an elbow injury. Butler has been on the Triple-A disabled list since May 14 with a right elbow strain.

• Double-A shortstop Aledmys Diaz, who has been sidelined since April 26 due to an upper back/lat strain, is relocating to St. Louis to continue his rehab program. The Cardinals signed Diaz, a Cuban defector, to a four-year contract back in March.

• For the last few weeks, Matheny has been impressing upon his players to be demonstrative when they believe a call has been missed on the field. Gesturing is helpful to Matheny as he determines whether to use a challenge. His latest conversation on the front came with second baseman Kolten Wong, who recently returned from the Minors.

"When he sees something," Matheny said, "he's going to have to show us and let us know."