Cubs’ Kris Bryant leaves game after being hit by pitch, status for week TBD

Already compromised by a shoulder issue that has cost him 7½ weeks this season, Kris Bryant left Tuesday’s game because of a bad bruise on his left wrist suffered when hit by a pitch in the fourth against the Pirates.

X-rays were negative, but manager Joe Maddon said the 2016 National League MVP won’t play on Wednesday at least.

“He was hit pretty good,” Maddon said.

Bryant, whose recurring left shoulder soreness needed a day off as recently as Sunday, played another half-inning in the field after being hit Tuesday by the Pirates’ Chris Archer, before leaving as part of a double switch after the Cubs batted in the fifth. Maddon said the wrist swelled up during that inning.

With five games left in the regular-season it’s another blow for a team trying to fend off the Brewers in a tight NL Central race – already without $126 million starter Yu Darvish (elbow), shutdown closer Brandon Morrow (elbow) and backup closer Pedro Strop (hamstring).

It’s especially a blow for a lineup that has scored just one run in its last 24 innings and leads the league in games scoring one or no runs.

“We’re just looking to get him as many at-bats as possible to get the ball on the fat part of the bat more consistently,” Maddon said of Bryant before the game.

“You know what he’s capable of, let’s put it that way. … We could use what we’ve seen over the last couple years more consistently. It would make a huge difference with what we’re doing right now.”