CINCINNATI -- Wednesday was the first day that Reds shortstop Zack Cozart was eligible to return from the 10-day disabled list. The right quadriceps injury that put him out was fully tested, however, and passed.
"I ran the bases on Monday, felt OK in St. Louis. Yesterday, I did a bunch of running and agility stuff with [strength coach Sean] Marohn out there and felt really good," Cozart said. "Today, I ran bases and felt really good. So it's kind of like the old Dusty Baker rule, you know? 'Hey you say you feel good, we'll give you another day.' That's where we're at."
Cozart feels much better since he went on the DL June 19 with the strained quad.
"Night and day," he said. "I could move around on defense, feel great. Hitting was never an issue. The gear I was in today, I haven't been in that gear in a long time."
Jose Peraza made another start at shortstop while Scooter Gennett again manned second base on Wednesday vs. the Brewers. Cozart is batting .320/.404/.562 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs in 58 games, and is nearing a bid to be fan-elected to the National League All-Star team.
Reds manager Bryan Price doesn't anticipate Cozart would be out much longer.
"He's not as far as we want him to be, and we think in the next probably 24 to 48 hours he'll be ready to go," Price said.
Worth noting
• The Reds made the expected roster move Wednesday that put lefty starting pitcher Brandon Finnegan on the 10-day DL with a strained teres major muscle near his left shoulder. Reliever Austin Brice was recalled from Triple-A Louisville. Brice was just sent down when Finnegan was activated on Monday to start vs. the Cardinals, but is allowed to return ahead of the 10-day waiting period because there was an injury.
• Price has not yet named a starter to replace Finnegan in the rotation on Saturday vs. the Cubs.
• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Billy Hamilton's first-inning homer for the Reds in Tuesday's 8-6 win over Milwaukee broke a record. It was the 32nd time this season that a team's leadoff hitter began the first inning with a homer, the most in a calendar month in Major League history. The previous record of 31 homers was set in May 2016.