Velasquez expects smooth recovery from bruised arm

PHILADELPHIA » Vince Velasquez did not show up for work in a cast Sunday, or a splint, or even with his injured pitching arm caked in ice.

As for a wince … there might have been a trace.

“Pretty sore,” he said. “Pretty sore. I feel a lot better than yesterday. And I have a lot more movement going on.”

Velasquez was struck in the right arm by a secondinning line drive Saturday from the Washington Nationals’ Adam Eaton. Though recovering to throw Eaton out, left-handed, he had to leave the game. Sunday morning, he was placed on the 10-day disabled list.

“I’m sure there will be some throwing involved in the next few days and stuff,” he said, before the Phils’ 4-3, 13-inning victory over the Nationals. “I will continue doing my workout, my lower half, upper body, core, whatever I need to do to take care of my body physically. And we’ll go from there.”

Velasquez is confident that he will not be disabled for long.

“I think it will be really good,” he said. “I’ll take my 10 days and do what I’ve got to do. I’ll have down time, bounce back, be refreshed and feel refreshed.”

Also Sunday, Zac Curtis was demoted to Lehigh Valley. The Phillies replenished their roster by promoting Jake Thompson and activating Pat Neshek.

Gabe Kapler said he had no immediate plans to replace Neshek in the rotation with either Thompson or Mark Leiter Jr. With offdays Monday and Thursday, there is a minimal rush. But the Phils will host the Mets for a doubleheader next Monday.

“It’s all on the table,” the manager said.

Velasquez said he was not x-rayed and does not expect to undergo any scans.

“It’s just about having a full recovery and not really trying to be too pushy with it,” he said. “We have two days off coming up and we’re just going to play it safe and take it day by day. But other than that, give it 10 days and we’ll go from there.”

Velasquez said he took many phone calls from friends entertained by his left-handed throw to first.

No one seemed more entertained than Velasquez himself.

“Yeah. Yeah,” he said, smiling. “That was awesome. I’ve been watching it like 20 times. It’s just crazy. It’s mind-blowing. I told Kap I literally had intentions of throwing with my left hand. I didn’t know where the ball was going, but I just wanted to get the out. It was just a big, adrenaline type of thing.”