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Atlanta Braves acquire veteran catcher Kevan Smith from Tampa Bay Rays

Former Tampa Bay Rays catcher Kevan Smith (R), shown Sept. 27, 2020, was designated for assignment by the Rays earlier this week. File Photo by Steven J. Nesius/UPI
Former Tampa Bay Rays catcher Kevan Smith (R), shown Sept. 27, 2020, was designated for assignment by the Rays earlier this week. File Photo by Steven J. Nesius/UPI | License Photo

May 19 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Braves acquired veteran catcher Kevan Smith from the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, the team announced.

The Rays sent Smith to the Braves in exchange for cash considerations, according to the team. Atlanta also activated left-hander Grant Dayton from the 10-day injured list Wednesday and designated catcher Jeff Mathis for assignment.

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Smith was designated for assignment by the Rays on Sunday. He was 1-for-4 in just three games for Tampa Bay this season.

The 32-year-old Smith has a .271 career batting average over six seasons with the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Rays. He broke into MLB with the White Sox, where he played from 2016-18.

Mathis, 38, was 0-for-9 with five strikeouts in three games for the Braves this season.

Also Wednesday, the Braves optioned left-hander Tucker Davidson to Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding roster move after Dayton was activated from the injured list. Dayton was recovering from thigh inflammation.

Davidson allowed three runs in six innings against the New York Mets on Tuesday night in his 2021 debut.

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