ATLANTA -- The Reds have remained cautious with shortstop Zack Cozart as he deals with a left shin injury that caused him to leave in the seventh inning of Friday's game against the Braves at SunTrust Park.
Cozart was not in the lineup on Saturday as Jose Peraza drew the start for the Reds. He is considered day-to-day, however, Reds manager Bryan Price allowed the possibility Cozart could be available if needed.
"We will see if he can get some treatment through the day and see if he can maybe pinch-hit, but I am not sure about that," Price said.
The Reds will re-evaluate Cozart to determine if he can play in Sunday's series finale, but a trip to the disabled list is not likely.
"He will be getting rounds of treatment and he has a compression wrap on there," Price said. "Until we get closer to game time and get through today, we won't know until [Sunday] if he is available."
Cozart is batting .313 with 17 homers and 48 RBIs in 88 games.
Ervin learning from the vets
Phillip Ervin made his presence felt with two home runs against the Cubs this week. He has continued to show potential as a key member of the Reds' future.
Ervin has made sure to take the next step by watching how veterans like Joey Votto and Billy Hamilton approach the game.
"It is an unbelievable experience to watch Votto and try to learn from him," Ervin said. "I am always watching how he works, as he is a great hitter."
Price praised Ervin's defensive and base-stealing abilities, and has challenged Ervin to continue to get better each day to unlock his talent in every opportunity.
"We think that he can be a really good player, and coming into his own is important," Price said. "He has been a solid player, but I think there is a better player in there if you look at the numbers he has been putting up in our system."
Ervin agrees and is focusing on improving to better his chances of getting more playing time. He will have to find more playing time with Scott Schebler returning to the outfield fold.
"I got the pressure of getting my first hits out of the way," Ervin said. "It took a while for me to settle in, but now I feel great. I am playing the game now and having fun. Everything will take care of itself."