ANAHEIM -- It could have been much worse, but José Peraza and the Reds were relieved that the shortstop was just sore and not seriously injured.
During Cincinnati's 9-2 loss to the Angels on Monday night, Peraza had to exit in the top of the third inning with a facial contusion after a pickoff throw to first base struck him on the side of his face at the top of his jaw.
"We're going to do some followup stuff with the dentist tomorrow," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "I'm sure it's painful, but I don't think it's something right now that we see as serious."
In the third inning against Matt Shoemaker, Peraza hit a leadoff single. With Joey Votto batting, Shoemaker made two pickoff attempts before a third throw to first base ricocheted off of C.J. Cron's glove and got Peraza on the side of the head that isn't covered by a helmet ear flap as he slid headfirst back to the bag.
"It was pretty much a direct hit," said Cron. "If it went off my glove, it was just a tick."
Peraza spent several moments on his back being tended to by Reds trainers before he was able to walk back to the dugout. Regular shortstop Zack Cozart, who was given a rest from the lineup, pinch-ran for Peraza and entered the game at his position.
There was no need to put Peraza through the concussion protocol after he was examined.
"He had the Angels team doctor in here and he went through a bunch of stuff there. I don't believe that's going to be an issue," Price said.
Peraza, 22, is batting .303/.331/.377 in 42 big league games this season over multiple call-ups. Since his latest promotion on Aug. 20, he is 15-for-35 (.429) with four extra-base hits and five RBIs. That included a career-best four-hit game vs. the Dodgers on Aug. 22.
"It was great news," Price said of the outcome being less than serious. "We'll check and see if he's got a chipped tooth and whatever else you need to do that a dentist can do better than a general X-ray."