Cubs dealt bad news on Cody Bellinger’s injury, Pete Crow-Armstrong headed to Wrigley
The feeling surrounding Cody Bellinger’s rib injury after Tuesday night’s game was one of optimism.
That has quickly changed directions, as a CT scan Wednesday showed 2 fractured ribs. He was placed on the 10-day injured list and top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong was called up to replace Bellinger on the roster.
The Cubs don’t know how long they’ll be without their star center fielder.
“I don’t I don’t really have a timetable for you,” Counsell said before the Cubs’ 4-3 win Wednesday night. “The doctors are going to talk to Cody today a little a little more extensively. … The doctors will come up with a plan and like everything, he’s got to get symptom-free first and we’ll go from there.”
Bellinger left Tuesday night’s game after the 6th inning. He collided with the outfield wall trying to make a catch in center field in the 4th inning.
After the game, he was hopeful it would be a short-term injury and he even talked about potentially returning to the field for Wednesday night’s game.
“He woke up feeling good,” Counsell said. “He was encouraged how he woke up feeling and he was he was like, ‘I think I kind of dodged something’ were his words actually. Unfortunately, that [CT scan] just revealed what’s there.”
Moving forward, Crow-Armstrong will play a part in the outfield picture for the Cubs in Chicago.
Crow-Armstrong, 22, is a consensus Top 20 prospect in the game and got his first taste of MLB action down the stretch last season. He entered the game Wednesday night as a defensive replacement in center field.
With Bellinger’s return during Spring Training, Crow-Armstrong was optioned to the minors to start the year in Triple-A. In 19 games with Iowa, he is hitting .203/.241/.392 (.633 OPS) with 2 homers, 5 stolen bases and 12 runs scored.
Bellinger is the latest in a long list of Cubs injuries. Seiya Suzuki injured his oblique on the team’s recent road trip and will be sidelined at least a month.
Ace Justin Steele was injured on Opening Day and while he is closing in on a return, he will not pitch for the big-league club at all in April. Jameson Taillon – the team’s projected No. 2 starter to begin the year – had to start on the IL due to a back injury suffered in Spring Training and just made his season debut last Friday.
The Cubs are also without one of their top relievers in Julian Merryweather and veteran pitchers Kyle Hendricks and Drew Smyly were just placed on the IL Tuesday with injuries.
Counsell has his team off to a 15-9 start despite the injury blows. The Cubs’ depth has already been tested quite a bit this season and it will only continue to face adversity in the coming weeks until Steele, Suzuki and Bellinger return.