Austin

Kearns

''It’s not a situation where it’s getting better every day,’' Kearns said. ''It got a little better when I got the cortisone shot (last week).’' Manager Bob Boone said Kearns will not start through this weekend but could be used off the bench.

''I’m hoping to give him a couple of days,’' manager Bob Boone said.

With Kearns there is always the worry that he may have injured himself again. That was not the case last night. Reds’ manager Dave Miley just wanted to rest Kearns who has played in all seven games since he was re-instated from the disabled list. Kearns will likely return to the lineup today.

There’s a real chance that the Reds will go into spring training with Kearns penciled in at third base, but they will look for alternatives this winter.

Kearns shouldn’t have to miss any time; he says the elbow feels fine.

O’Brien, though, isn’t completely convinced that Kearns is the answer at the position. “We don’t have a crystal ball to be able to see the outcome,” O’Brien said. Because the Reds still have questions, it remains unclear whether D’Angelo Jimenez will be non-tendered on Tuesday. The Reds should keep him and pencil Ryan Freel into a utility role. It’s not like Freel won’t still get 400-500 at-bats.

Kearns is working out at the position daily. “He feels good,” Miley said. “He looks good. Everything’s going well. Austin wants to do this. That’s the big thing.”

''We’ve told Austin that there is no timetable,’' GM Dan O’Brien said. ''We want to get him hitting like he’s capable of hitting.’' If that’s the case, it may take some time. Kearns is hitting just .137 and hasn’t hit well since last May.

Kearns is 4-for-12 with three RBI three games into his rehab assignment. He may return sometime next week.

Kearns wasn’t able to play first field for 10 games of spring training while completing his throwing rehab, and until Sunday, most of his throws had been tosses to the cutoff man.