ST. LOUIS _ Cubs shortstop Javier Baez was hit near the left elbow by a pitch from Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty in the third inning and left the game.
Baez was in obvious pain as he sat on the ground while trainer PJ Mainville attended to him. Baez was replaced by pinch-runner Addison Russell as the Cubs and Cardinals were in a scoreless tie. The Cardinals took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The initial diagnosis was a bruise, although Baez was scheduled to undergo more tests as soon as Sunday night as a precautionary measure.
Prior to the update, manager Joe Maddon told ESPN during an in-game interview, "I don't think it's anything serious."
Baez leads the Cubs with 14 home runs and is tied with Anthony Rizzo for the team lead with 46 RBIs. If the injury is deemed series, this would alter Maddon's plan to keep his players fresh during a stretch in which the Cubs won't have a day off until July 2.
Triple-A Iowa infielders David Bote (.286, 11 home runs and 32 RBIs) and Mike Freeman (.261, 5, 27) would be candidates for a promotion if Baez is forced to be placed on the 10-day disabled list.
The Cubs, trying to complete their first series sweep of the Cardinals at Busch Stadium since Sept. 13-15, 2010, are in a scoreless tie entering the top of the sixth.
Jose Quintana scattered two hits and worked out of a jam in the fifth.
The Cubs wasted two scoring chances against Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty. Kris Bryant struck out on a 97 mph fastball with the bases loaded to end the third. Flaherty walked the first two batters in the fourth, and Russell walked with two out to load the bases, but Quintana took a called third strike to end the threat.
