Hunter available out of 'pen following X-ray results

WASHINGTON -- Reliever Tommy Hunter was available out of the bullpen Tuesday, just two days after barehanding a hard-hit ball from Toronto's Jose Bautista.

Hunter had an initial X-ray taken Sunday and a more advanced follow-up X-ray on Monday. Both came back negative.

"They explained it to me: in one I was driving a not-so-cool car, and one of them I was driving a really cool car, they're both going to get you to the ending line, but it's just a matter of what kind of style you're riding in," Hunter said. "I don't know, one's grainy, one's not grainy."

The 26-year-old right-hander played light catch before Monday's game at Nationals Park and said Tuesday he doesn't think he'll have any limitations going forward.

"It's sore, it's kind of like a hitter taking a ball off the ankle. It's not broke, so might as well throw," Hunter said.

In Sunday's outing, Hunter allowed one run on four hits over 1 1/3 innings and worked out of a bases-loaded jam to end the seventh inning to continue his impressive run. Since April 12, Hunter is 3-0 with a 1.07 ERA in 15 outings, striking out 17 and walking five.