Hand sore but expects to make next start

MILWAUKEE -- Brewers starter Donovan Hand threw lightly Wednesday, one day after getting hit in the hand by a 97-mph fastball, and said he expected to make his next start.

Hand took a third-inning Tyson Ross fastball to his hand while squaring around to bunt Tuesday and departed after throwing four innings because he could not grip the ball the way he wanted to -- something he said improved a bit Wednesday.

"He's sore today, but talking to the doctor and talking to [head athletic trainer] Dan Wright, I think he's going to be able to make his next start," manager Ron Roenicke said. "If he can't, that's going to be a little tricky."

The Brewers said X-rays were negative and that Hand was day to day after the game, but Hand was encouraged by his light throwing session. His next start is scheduled for Sunday at Colorado.

"I don't see anything holding me back," Hand said. "From this morning when I woke up to now, it's already made progress. Just keep progressing every day and see where I'm at at the end of it."

Hand just felt lucky to walk away with nothing worse than some swelling and soreness.

"Ninety-seven [mph] to the hand is not very comfortable," he said. "I was thinking I was fortunate to get out of the way. It's just a big bruise and some soreness. It's not broke, so hopefully it'll heal fast. But when it first happened I had a bad feeling."