CHICAGO (AP) -Atlanta Braves' veteran left-hander Tom Glavine had to leave Tuesday night's game against the Chicago Cubs after three innings with a strained left elbow and is headed to the disabled list.

Glavine said he would probably return to Atlanta on Wednesday and have an MRI, probably on Thursday.

``It hurt from the minute I started throwing tonight,'' Glavine said.

``We're going to disable him. Give him a breather,'' manager Bobby Cox said after a 10-5 loss to the Cubs. ``See if his elbow can get better. ... It was hurting him like the dickens.''

Glavine, who won his 300th game last August at Wrigley Field while pitching for the Mets, was staked to a 3-0 first-inning Tuesday night but couldn't hold it. He gave up four runs, allowing six hits and issuing four walks while throwing 72 pitches during his second shortest outing this season.

Glavine, who has a 2-3 record, said he first noticed the discomfort about a month ago and it got progressively worse.

``It was sore since then and it's not getting any better,'' Glavine said. ``Previously it was mostly between starts and a little bit as the game would go on, I would get a little bit stiff. But the last two games, it's been pretty much every pitch I throw.''

Glavine rejoined the Braves this season after spending the previous five with the Mets. He intially pitched with the Braves from 1987-2002 and won at least 20 games five times.

The Braves are already without one of Glavine's longtime teammates, John Smoltz, who had shoulder surgery Tuesday and whose future is unclear.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.