Cody Bellinger #24 of the Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs have placed outfielder Cody Bellinger on the 10-day injured list following a fracture to his left middle finger, sustained during Wednesday night’s 4-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.
Bellinger was hit by a pitch from Cionel Pérez in the seventh inning. Though he initially remained in the game, he was forced to leave shortly afterward due to the injury.
The timeline for Bellinger’s return remains uncertain. Manager Craig Counsell provided an update on Thursday, stating, “He won’t be doing much until after the All-Star break, and then we’ll start rehabbing the finger’s range of motion. We’ll see how that goes.”
Bellinger has been a key player for the Cubs this season, batting .269 with nine home runs and 37 RBIs. His absence marks a significant setback for the team, which had won five of its last six games before Thursday’s series finale against Baltimore.
“He’s our number three hitter, so losing him is a blow,” Counsell said. “You can’t easily replace someone like that. We’ll have to rally together while he’s out and try to keep up the good offensive play we’ve shown recently.”
In response to Bellinger’s injury, the Cubs have called up outfielder Alexander Canario from Triple-A Iowa. Canario has played in 13 games for the Cubs this season and will look to fill the void left by Bellinger.
As the Cubs approach the All-Star break, the team will need to rely on its depth and resilience to maintain their momentum in Bellinger’s absence. The hope is that with proper rest and rehabilitation, Bellinger will return to the lineup ready to contribute to the Cubs’ playoff push in the second half of the season.
