For two months before he went on the injured list, the talk surrounding Cody Bellinger was on his dip in power this season.

In 54 games between May 11 and July 10 (the date he was hit on the hand with a pitch in Baltimore), Bellinger hit only 2 home runs with a .354 slugging percentage.

But in his first 3 games back from the fractured finger (which isn’t fully healed yet), Bellinger smacked 2 homers right out of the gate.

He has been on fire since returning from the IL on July 30 with 8 hits in 17 at-bats, including a double and the pair of homers. He has driven in 5 runs and scored 5 runs as the Cubs offense has been firing on all cylinders.

That includes a single in Friday’s 6-3 win over the Cardinals, the Cubs’ 3rd straight victory.

“Pretty remarkable, really,” manager Craig Counsell said. “One, the injury he’s coming back from is a tough one when you have a broken finger and it affects the feel on every swing.

“And two, not having live at-bats and stepping right back into the middle of the offense and being super productive. Something we’ve needed and it’s been a big boost for us.”

[MORE: How Bellinger has adapted at the plate in wake of finger injury]

Bellinger has only been able to serve as the team’s DH as the finger has not yet allowed him full runway to throw and play the field.

But with his return and the addition of Isaac Paredes, the Cubs have been sporting a new-look lineup the last few days and it has paid off.

Bellinger had 3 hits during Wednesday’s 13-4 win in Cincinnati and then homered in the bottom of the 9th to help spark the thrilling comeback Thursday night.

Bellinger’s power returning would be a huge development for this Cubs offense and to see it come to fruition after a 3-week layoff with no rehab assignment is even more impressive.

“I think he’s good hitter – it’s as simple as that,” Counsell said. “It’s fun when a guy comes right off the injured list, he’s got a broken finger and he hits right away. No at-bats for a couple weeks.

“You’re impressed by that and kind of amazed by it. I think Cody’s a good hitter. He’s getting some good pitches to hit and putting some nice swings and just having good at-bats in general.”

It will be a very difficult road for the Cubs to fully climb back into the playoff race but if the offense is able to find some extended consistency, that would go a long way toward making a Wild-Card push a reality.