SAN FRANCISCO -- Giants right-hander Matt Cain returned to the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring Tuesday, one day after he was activated from the DL to start against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Cain, 31, said nothing about aggravating the injury after his 3 2/3-inning stint against the Brewers, who amassed three runs and five hits off him. Cain also walked five and struck out three. Overall, the three-time All-Star is 1-5 with a 5.34 ERA in 11 starts this year.
But Giants manager Bruce Bochy revealed that Cain still felt soreness in and around his hamstring after he pitched.
"Last night he felt pretty sore in that area," Bochy said. "So we had him checked out and the MRI showed a mild strain. It wasn't bad, but it was bad enough to miss one start."
Therefore, Bochy concluded, placing Cain back on the DL was the best course of action "to get [the hamstring] 100 percent."
Cain missed two starts while he was sidelined but appeared to have worked his way back to adequate health. He performed in a simulated game days before his comeback against the Brewers.
Rookie right-hander Chris Stratton, who was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento to clear roster room for Cain, was recalled. The Giants are expected to replace Cain, the No. 5 starter in their rotation, with long reliever Albert Suarez.
Stratton, who made three one-inning appearances out of the bullpen during his Giants stint, likely will assume the long-relief role from Suarez. Stratton has been almost exclusively a starter since the Giants selected him in the first round of the 2012 Draft.