SAN FRANCISCO -- Adversity continued to strike the Giants' pitching staff Tuesday as the club placed right-hander Johnny Cueto on the 10-day disabled list with inflammation in his throwing elbow.
Though the extent of Cueto's injury won't be known until his MRI results are examined further, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said, "Obviously, it's not good news when you have to put him on the DL."
The move created room on the 25-man roster for left-hander Andrew Suarez, who started Tuesday night against San Diego. Suarez went seven innings, allowing two runs while striking out five in the Giants' 3-2 loss to the Padres.
But moving Cueto aside was not the type of corresponding move the Giants had in mind for accommodating Suarez. Cueto entered Tuesday leading the Major Leagues with an 0.84 ERA.
"There's been nobody in the game who's been pitching better," Bochy said.
Including Madison Bumgarner (fractured left hand) and Jeff Samardzija (right pectoral strain), the Giants have been without at least two of their top three starting pitchers for most of the season.
The Giants announced that Cueto's DL assignment was retroactive to Sunday, one day after he allowed two runs and three hits through six innings in San Francisco's 8-3 victory against the Dodgers in the nightcap of a split doubleheader. That outing improved Cueto's record to 3-0 in five starts.