After Bellinger injury news, Cubs look to pick up slack

BALTIMORE -- Cody Bellinger was mentally prepared for some bad news on Thursday. The Cubs' center fielder had been hit on the hand by pitches in the past, but the errant sinker from Orioles lefty Cionel Pérez hit Bellinger square on his left middle finger.

“It was pretty painful,” Bellinger said.

Ahead of the Cubs’ 8-0 win over the Orioles, Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list due to a non-displaced fracture of his finger. The silver lining is that the upcoming All-Star break reduces the number of total games Bellinger will miss, but the other side of the coin is that Chicago is not exactly sure how long he will be sidelined.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said a return before the calendar flips to August is probably on the fast side. All the North Siders know right now is that Bellinger will be shut down over the season’s intermission and then he will begin a range-of-motion rehab program. Bellinger’s comeback from there will be based on healing and tolerance.

“That’s basically where we’re at,” Counsell said. “Look, we're losing the guy that hits third in the lineup every day. So that hurts. You don't replace that necessarily. It means we have to kind of circle the wagons while he's out and do our best to continue what's been a pretty decent offensive stretch here.”

Thursday’s win marked the sixth in the past seven games for the Cubs, who dealt the American League East-leading Orioles their first sweep at Camden Yards since Aug. 27-29, 2021 (vs. the Rays). Lefty Justin Steele quieted the Baltimore lineup over seven scoreless innings (lowering his season ERA to 2.71) and Chicago’s offense continued its recent upswing.

The brooming in Baltimore was a big confidence booster for the Cubs.

“It's huge,” said Steele, who has a 1.48 ERA in his past nine starts. “It's the kind of thing you need to be doing, especially in the spot we're in. But we're feeling good. The boys are rolling right now. It's fun.”

Dating back to June 1, the trio of Ian Happ (.960 OPS in that span, entering Thursday), Michael Busch (.940 OPS) and Seiya Suzuki (.840) have helped spark the lineup. Suzuki contributed three run-scoring extra-base hits (two doubles and a triple), while Busch with a two-run double and Happ added an RBI double in the win. Dansby Swanson also launched his first home run since June 19.

“We’ve got a bunch of guys around me that are more than capable to continue to get the job done,” Bellinger said. “They’ve been swinging it well."

Rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong will continue to lock down center field with Bellinger out. Alexander Canario was called up from Triple-A Iowa to provide depth at all three spots, but particularly behind Happ in left and Suzuki in right. The more experienced Mike Tauchman is working his way back from the IL and is on pace for a return after the All-Star break.

“No matter who you are,” Busch said, “you lose a guy like Belli, it's going to be tough to fill the spot. But I think it’s just having guys step up.”

The timing of Bellinger’s injury also further complicates how he fits into the July 30 Trade Deadline conversation.

Bellinger’s contract includes the ability to opt-out after each of the 2024 and ‘25 seasons, creating an added layer to how teams would evaluate a potential trade package. Now, the outfielder could be sidelined until around the Deadline. Bellinger said he had not really spent much time thinking about that aspect of his situation.

“It’d probably make it a little hard [to make a trade], I’d imagine,” Bellinger said.

He would rather see the Cubs be in a position to add at the Deadline.

“I see us with a complete team,” Bellinger said. “I’ve been a believer.”

Through 79 games this season, the 28-year-old Bellinger has hit .269 with nine homers, 15 doubles, 37 RBIs and a .742 OPS while moving between center and right field, plus some first base for the Cubs. He also missed roughly two weeks between April and May due to a pair of rib fractures in his left side, stemming from running into the brick wall at Wrigley Field.

Bellinger hopes once he is past this situation, he can step back in to help the Cubs make a second-half push.

“It’s just so frustrating. I like playing every day,” he said. “I don’t know how long this is going to take just to get back going. It’s part of it. I’ll do whatever I can to make sure, when I am healthy, I’ll be ready to roll.”