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Pagan scratched due to lacerated middle finger

SAN FRANCISCO -- Center fielder Angel Pagan was scratched from the Giants' lineup Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres with a lacerated left middle finger.

Pagan sustained the injury in Monday's series opener when he was accidentally spiked in a baserunning incident. After missing significant playing time due to various ailments in each of the previous two seasons, Pagan had started all but one of San Francisco's previous 26 games this year, his lone absence coming April 12 at San Diego

The offensively challenged Giants need Pagan's presence. His .350 batting average, which ranked fifth in the National League entering Tuesday, was fattened by a team-high 11 multi-hit games.

No indication was immediately given regarding when Pagan might rejoin the lineup.

Pagan's removal prompted Giants manager Bruce Bochy to elevate Buster Posey from fourth to third in the batting order. Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford and Gregor Blanco followed Posey in that sequence and also moved up a notch apiece. Blanco switched from right field to center field, while Justin Maxwell was installed in right, batting seventh.

Video: LAA@SF: Pagan triples off the wall in right

Worth noting

• In other injury news, Bochy said that right fielder Hunter Pence (fractured left forearm) looked better in batting practice. Right-hander Jake Peavy (back strain) threw a bullpen session, and right-hander Matt Cain (strained flexor tendon) again threw on flat ground at a 90-foot distance.

• The Giants announced that outfielder Michael Morse will receive his 2014 World Series ring on Thursday when he visits AT&T Park with his new team, the Miami Marlins. Morse hit .279 in 131 games last year with 16 homers, 61 RBIs and an .811 OPS, which ranked second among Giants regulars behind Posey's .854.

Video: WS2014 Gm7: Morse rips an RBI single to right field

Morse contributed two highly significant hits during last year's postseason. His eighth-inning, pinch-hit home run in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series tied the score and set up Travis Ishikawa's now-legendary homer. And his fourth-inning RBI single broke a 2-2 tie and plated the eventual winning run in Game 7 of the World Series at Kansas City.

Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Haft-Baked Ideas, and follow him on Twitter at @sfgiantsbeat.
Read More: San Francisco Giants, Angel Pagan