Molina, 36, was hurt last week and is hitting .265 with 33 runs batted in over 50 games. Knizner, 24, was hitting .286 with five homers and 17 RBIs at Class AAA Memphis and has a career minor-league average of .307. He has thrown out 17 of 32 would-be base stealers to lead the Pacific Coast League this year.
Knizner, who was not here for batting practice Friday but was en route from Memphis, will wear No. 7. He will back up veteran switch-hitter Matt Wieters, who had homered in each of the previous two games as Molina’s replacement and was averaging .