“I was nervous, I guess,” Cozart said. “It has been so long since I was out there.”
The 30-year old checked all the boxes to enable him to participate in live action Friday for the first time this spring. He spent the first 22 days of camp testing his tolerance and building his workload before taking the field in a split-squad game against the Oakland A’s.
“My heart was pounding,” he said. “I hadn’t seen live pitching in so long. I told myself to relax, just breathe. You’ve been here. I couldn’t calm it down.”
In his first at-bat, Cozart had an awkward swing at Chris Bassitt’s first pitch before grounding out.
“I felt better my second at-bat,” said Cozart, who singled to center.
He then gave the Reds a scare in the field when Oakland’s Renato Nunez hit a grounder and Cozart fell on his face ranging deep in the hole.
“We had a moment of pause,” manager Bryan Price said.
It didn’t concern Cozart.
“I was hoping I’d get a ground ball,” Cozart said. “I slipped and fell, got up. It was pretty muddy out there. I didn’t think twice about it because I wanted to get to the ball. I’m mad because maybe I could have got the ball. I don’t know.”
Cozart was on the way to his best season when injured. His nine home runs in 53 games more than doubled the four he hit in 147 games in 2014. He left with a .258 average, which would have been his highest in the majors.
Cozart, who had surgery June 16, has been seen as one of the Reds’ building blocks for years. He stabilized a position that was constantly changing after Barry Larkin retired after the 2004 season. Starting in 1970 with Dave Concepcion through Larkin’s tenure, the Reds had two shortstops in 34 years. After Larkin, it was a revolving door.
Second baseman Brandon Phillips has played alongside 28 shortstops since joining the Reds in 2006, but Cozart, at 427 games, has been there the most.
Cozart is still the Reds’ shortstop but young Jose Peraza, acquired in the offseason Todd Frazier trade, is available to fill in.
“We are going to take it slow with Zack,” Price said. “Peraza will get some time at shortstop.”
Cozart’s return to game action Friday was seen as a good first step for a player who couldn’t even swing a bat until January.
“I did a lot today that I hadn’t done,” Cozart said. “I slipped and fell. I went backwards on a fly ball. I ran bases, touched a base. I hit and ran out of the box.I did all the things that are tough to emulate until you get in a game. Physically it felt great. Mentally, I’m glad that day’s over. Now I can go.
“It is just good to be out there. I’m excited.”
• Catcher Devin Mesoraco (hip surgery) was making progress in his return but developed a sore quad muscle.
“It was a setback,” Price said. “If he continues to tolerate the workload, we can get him in a game sometime next weekend.”
• Outfielder Billy Hamilton (shoulder surgery) had been in games as a designated hitter but was scratched March 4 because his shoulder hurt when he swung. Hamilton the last two days has taken batting practice and thrown in the outfield.
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