Andrew McCutchen Hit by Pitch, Exits Game vs. Padres with Elbow Injury

San Francisco Giants outfielder Andrew McCutchen suffered an apparent elbow injury after getting hit by a pitch during Wednesday's home game against the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park.

Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Arena noted the star's exit. Gregor Blanco entered the contest in left field with Gorkys Hernandez shifting to right. No further details about the severity of the ailment were released.

McCutchen was a stalwart member of the Pittsburgh Pirates outfield from 2009 through 2017. He was traded to San Francisco in January as part of the Buccos' offseason overhaul. While his production has dipped in recent years, especially compared to his 2013 NL MVP level, he's still a key bat for the Giants.

The 31-year-old Florida native has remained mostly durable throughout his time in the major leagues. He's made at least 146 appearances in every season since 2010.

If the five-time All-Star selection is forced out of the lineup with the latest issue, Hernandez figures to receive the biggest uptick in playing time since Blanco has already been seeing more action with Hunter Pence on the disabled list.

All told, San Francisco bolstered its lineup during the winter with the additions of McCutchen, Evan Longoria and Austin Jackson. It should allow the team to navigate a short-term absence by Cutch, but any type of significant injury would be a major blow.