TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays designated catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia for assignment on Friday and selected the contract of catcher Luke Maile from triple-A Buffalo.
Saltalamacchia, who served as a backup to Russell Martin, was just 1-for-25 on the season with 16 strikeouts.
He had a .040 batting average and .077 on-base percentage over 10 games.
"When we brought Salty in, we were looking for some offence, some power. We weren't getting much of that," said manager John Gibbons. "And in all fairness to him he wasn't playing steady enough to get it going.
"So we brought up a guy (Maile) who's a known defender. And we've got tough pitchers to have to catch. But Salty, I love everything about him. He plays to win. Just didn't work out."
Saltalamacchia made his big-league debut in 2007 with the Atlanta Braves. He has also played for the Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, Miami Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Detroit Tigers over his career.
Maile, who spent parts of the last two seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, posted a .195 average in 12 games this year with the Bisons.
Maile was in the starting lineup for Toronto's game against the Rays Friday night. He said it was "ironic" to make his Blue Jays debut against his former team.
"It seems to be how baseball works," he said with a smile. "It's definitely bitter-sweet but I couldn't be more excited to be in this dugout."
Maile, who played with Friday's starter Marcus Stroman years ago in the Arizona Fall League, was looking forward to catching the Blue Jays' right-hander for the first time.
"He's electric," Maile said. "I'm excited to see what it looks like."
Toronto also recalled left-hander Matt Dermody and optioned righty Casey Lawrence to Buffalo.
