Brewers place Cain on DL with groin strain

The division-leading Milwaukee Brewers will be without Lorenzo Cain for the next little while, as the All-Star center fielder was placed on the 10-day disabled list Tuesday due to a left groin strain.

Cain, who's appeared in all but five of Milwaukee's games this season, injured his groin Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals, capping a rough series in which he also suffered through hamstring cramping and was twice hit by a pitch. He didn't play Sunday.

"We think it's mild and it’s going to be a short stay (on the DL) but we just didn't think it was worth waiting three or four days to see if he's ready to go," Brewers manager Craig Counsell told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Through 72 games in 2018, Cain - who inked a five-year, $80-million deal with the Brewers in January - ranks eighth among position players with 3.3 WAR while hitting .291/.394/.438 (124 OPS+) with eight home runs, 15 doubles, and 16 stolen bases. At the most recent All-Star balloting update, Cain ranked 12th among National League outfielders.

To replace Cain on the active roster, the Brewers recalled outfielder Keon Broxton from Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Heading into Tuesday's series opener against the Kansas City Royals (Cain's former team), the Brewers own a 2 1/2-game lead over the Chicago Cubs for first place in the NL Central.