Bradley should be ready to return after DL stint
PHOENIX -- One day after being struck in the face by a line drive that left Carlos Gonzalez's bat at 115 mph, D-backs right-hander Archie Bradley was diagnosed with a sinus fracture. But otherwise, he came through the incident in remarkably good shape.
"No fracture of the jaw, no fracture of the orbital bone," Bradley said before Wednesday's game with the Rockies. "I guess I have a slight fracture of the sinus, which I'm not even sure what that is. If this was a playoff race or a playoff game, I could pitch tomorrow if the team needed it."
As it is, it does not appear that Bradley will have to be on the disabled list any longer than 15 days. In another couple days, when the swelling goes down, he should be able to get back to throwing.
Video: COL@ARI: Bradley exits after getting hit with liner
Bradley was a standout football player in high school and turned down a scholarship to play football at the University of Oklahoma to sign with the D-backs in 2011.
"I think my football background kind of had me prepared for this," Bradley said of any hesitation in getting back on the mound. "Granted, I don't know how I'm going to be when I get back on the mound. But I've stepped into many throws where I got hit in the chin by a linebacker or rolled out and got hit and kept rolling. I feel like that's going to help me a little bit."
Bradley received a text message from the Rockies' Gonzalez, as well as Angels star Mike Trout. He also heard from an idol of his -- former OU linebacker Brian Bosworth.
"I tweeted him a picture of my shirt and was like, 'Is this Boz-worthy?'" Bradley said. "He said something about using it to make me better and get stronger and keep pursuing my dream. So that's pretty cool."
The D-backs will make a determination in the next couple of days how to fill Bradley's spot next time through the rotation.
Manager Chip Hale said the team could call up a starter from Triple-A Reno, or start Andrew Chafin and call up someone else from Reno to provide relief in back of Chafin.