Hosmer remains out with fracture in right hand

PHOENIX -- It's been a week since first baseman Eric Hosmer was last in the Royals' lineup.

"It feels like a month," Hosmer said.

He's out with a fractured third metacarpal in his right hand, the result of being hit by a pitch on July 20 by Jon Lester, then with Boston.

Hosmer missed a couple of games with a bruise, then tried to come back at Chicago, but he was still hurting. He missed four more games, then started three games but aggravated the injury on July 31.

X-rays revealed the fracture and he was pronounced out three to six weeks.

"It's doing a lot better," Hosmer said on Thursday. "I believe they said after two weeks they're going to re-X-ray it. I guess there's about a week to go. Hopefully the X-rays come up and we see something good and we can start swinging and do some activities."

Right now he's doing nothing, but the Royals have been able to overcome the loss of his hot bat. When he played during July, Hosmer hit .366 (26-for-71) in 22 games with six doubles, two homers and 11 RBIs.

That raised his season average from .246 on June 30 to .267.