Kris Bryant Suffers Hand Injury After Being Hit by Pitch vs. Reds

Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant suffered a left hand contusion after he was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning of Tuesday night's 13-9 win over the Cincinnati Reds, according to ESPN.com's Jesse Rogers.

X-rays came back negative.

Durability wasn't a problem for Bryant in his first two years, as he appeared in 150-plus games in 2015 and 2016. He picked up his first notable injury in the Cubs' 8-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on July 19. While sliding into third base, he sprained his left pinkie.

Tommy La Stella replaced Bryant in that game, and that could be the plan again if he's forced to miss more time. Manager Joe Maddon could also look to Javier Baez, who isn't a natural third baseman but can be a serviceable defensive replacement.

While the Cubs haven't performed as expected in 2017, they remain on track to make the playoffs and acquired one of the best pitchers on the trade market when they added Jose Quintana. Bryant's injury shouldn't be a big problem for Chicago as long as he makes a swift return to the lineup.