By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Tuesday's game

DENVER - Maybe Thursday or Friday. Or even Saturday. That's the latest guess on when shortstop Barry Larkin, out since April 10 with a strained left calf muscle, will rejoin the Reds.

Larkin, who was eligible to leave the disabled list Saturday, tested the calf Monday and felt some pain.

"I still feel it when I accelerate from a dead stop or decelerate," Larkin said. "It's those first two steps."

Larkin tested the calf thoroughly Monday. He hit, ran and took ground balls.

"When he bunted and tried to break out of the box, it grabbed him," Reds manager Bob Boone said.

The Reds are being cautious with Larkin, who turned 39 Monday.

"After spending all this time, you don't want to do one crazy thing and hurt it," Boone said.

The injury, which at first was considered a day-to-day thing, has cost Larkin 16 games and will cost him at least two more.

"I'm disappointed," he said. "But I'm OK with it. I want to have it gone, so when I do come back, I don't have to protect it."

Added Larkin: "I feel good when I run at high speed. But it's not 100 percent. Dr. (Tim) Kremchek said this is the kind of thing that could keep you out six to eight weeks if you try to come back too soon."

Felipe Lopez has begun to play well in Larkin's place at shortstop. Lopez entered Tuesday hitting .326 with a homer and four RBI in his last 11 games.

But the Reds are hurting offensively at second base. Tuesday's starter, Juan Castro, had one hit in his last 20 at-bats entering the game. Ryan Freel went 1-for-7 as the starter Saturday and Sunday.