Cincinnati ? Philadelphia got catcher Kelly Stinnett Sunday from Cincinnati for a player to be named.

The deal gives the Phillies a backup catcher and saves the cost-conscious Reds some money. Stinnett hit .229 with three homers and 19 RBIs in 60 games this season.

Stinnett will be eligible to play in the postseason because the trade was made before Sept. 1. The Phillies are trying to make the playoffs as the NL wild card.

“I had a feeling, but I didn’t think it was going to be today,” Stinnett said, following the Reds’ 5-0 loss to St. Louis. “I figured it would be late in September, when somebody needed an extra guy maybe because of injury. Going today makes it extra exciting because of the possibility of the postseason.”

The Reds have made six trades and lost another player to a waiver claim since July 29, when they began slashing payroll and stocking up on prospects as part of a sudden rebuilding movement.

Stinnett makes $1.3 million this season and has a mutual option for next year at $750,000. He will get a $250,000 buyout if the option isn’t exercised.

Stinnett has also played for the New York Mets, Milwaukee and Arizona during his 10 seasons in the majors. He is a career .235 hitter with 54 homers and 197 RBIs.

“It gives us three big-league catchers,” Phillies general manager Ed Wade said. “In September, it can give (manager Larry) Bowa the chance to use Todd Pratt as a right-handed pinch-hitter off the bench or at first base if he wants to give Jim Thome a day off.”

Mike Lieberthal is the team’s No. 1 catcher.

“It may seem like a surplus of catchers, but if by some chance we have a breakdown, it gives us a big-league catcher as a backup,” Wade said. “I had talked to Bowa about 10 days ago about getting somebody with this type of experience.”

To make room on the 25-man roster for Stinnett, the Phillies optioned right-hander Brandon Duckworth to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Duckworth will return to Philadelphia when major league rosters expand today.