Lyles breaks left hand on play at plate, heads to DL

DENVER -- Rockies right-handed pitcher Jordan Lyles was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday after sustaining a fracture in his left hand during a play at the plate in the first inning of Colorado's 16-8 loss to the D-backs on Wednesday.

The Rockies recalled right-hander Chris Martin from Triple-A Colorado Springs to take Lyles' place on the roster.

Lyles was covering home after a wild pitch when D-backs third baseman Martin Prado's knee nicked Lyles' glove hand. Lyles was in visible pain but remained in the game after being examined by team doctors near home plate.

Lyles fought through three more innings, but he couldn't fight back the tears postgame.

"I knew something was wrong," said Lyles. "I've never felt that feeling before."

Lyles returned to the clubhouse after the first inning to take X-rays, but the initial examinations were on his wrist area, which proved to be fully intact. Lyles came back out to grind through four innings, allowing four runs (two earned).

"I didn't want to come out during the first and make the bullpen throw nine," Lyles said. "There was something wrong. I couldn't catch the ball from the catcher."

Lyles, who was sporting a soft cast after the game, was scheduled to visit a specialist Thursday for further examination. There is no early indication about how much time Lyles is expected to miss, but team doctors have informed him that the fracture is in the middle of his hand, right below his middle finger.

Lyles joins pitchers Brett Anderson (broken left index finger) and Tyler Chatwood (strained right flexor tendon) on the DL.

Martin has pitched nine games in relief for the Rockies this season, with a 4.15 ERA over 8 2/3 innings.

The Rockies' options for starters at Triple-A Colorado Springs are lefties Tyler Matzek (5-3, 4.14 ERA) and Christian Friedrich (1-8, 8.05 ERA), and righty Christian Bergman (4-4, 3.84), and Double-A Tulsa righty Jon Gray (5-3, 3.86 ERA).

Matzek and Friedrich, who pitched for the Rockies in 2012, are on the 40-man Major League roster, which makes a callup easier than having to clear a roster spot. Bergman is a 24th-round pick in 2010 out of Cal Irvine who has had big Triple-A performances. Gray is last year's top pick and third overall, out of Oklahoma.

They even could turn back to lefty Franklin Morales (3-6, 5.85 ERA), who pitched in relief Wednesday after being removed from the rotation. Top prospect Eddie Butler, a righty from Double-A Tulsa, will take Morales' rotation spot for Friday's game against the Dodgers at Coors Field.