Cueto DL’d, Bumgarner given OK to begin rehab

The San Francisco Giants placed Johnny Cueto on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to Sunday, with right elbow inflammation ahead of Tuesday’s game.

Cueto (3-0, 0.84 ERA) is the National League’s current leader in ERA, WHIP (0.69) and pitching WAR (2.0).

Just an hour before the announcement on Cueto, manager Bruce Bochy said that Madison Bumgarner (left pinkie) had been given the OK from doctors to begin throwing on flat ground.

Andrew Suarez (0-1, 6.75 ERA), who was on the Giants taxi squad and already scheduled to start Tuesday’s game, was activated using the space vacated by Cueto.

This is the shimmying right-hander’s second stint on the shelf this season. He was placed on the 10-day DL on April 10 after “tweaking” his left ankle during a workout.

As the Giants prepare for a 10-game East Coast road trip, it’s likely Suarez will get at least one more start in Cueto’s stead, offering yet another opportunity for a youngster to step up for San Francisco.

While Bumgarner’s progress is certainly a step forward, the big lefty remains several weeks from big league availability.

Julie Parker is SFBay’s San Francisco Giants beat writer. Follow @SFBay and @JPWhatsername on Twitter and at SFBay.ca for full coverage of Giants baseball.