Less than three weeks after fracturing his finger, Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger has been activated from the injured list. He had been sidelined since July 11th after being hit by a pitch from Baltimore’s Cionel Pérez resulting in a fractured left middle finger. Cubs manager Craig Counsell had indicated Bellinger would be activated in the coming days, but after a hitting session on Monday, the 29-year-old is back on the active roster. Bellinger is not in Monday’s lineup against the Reds, but he will be available off the bench.
“Cody hit for a long time this afternoon,” Counsell said of Bellinger’s pre-game workout on Monday. “It went really well. He’s going to throw here and then he’s going to hit again. Really good day.”
Cody Bellinger Activated from IL
Given that he is still having some trouble gripping a baseball, Counsell suggested Bellinger would start as a DH before returning to center field. Hitting .269/.331/.410 with nine homers through 79 games this season, Bellinger’s production has been solid but not spectacular. His 108 wRC+ is above league average, it’s well below the 134 wRC+ he posted in 2023. The two-time All-Star missed a few weeks earlier this year with a rib fracture. In the 57 games between his two injured list stints, Bellinger was batting .285 with four homers and 20 RBI.
The former MVP has been the subject of trade rumors in recent weeks, but Chicago has yet to sell going into tomorrow’s trade deadline. The Cubs acquired Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Isaac Paredes on Sunday, a deal sending Christopher Morel to Tampa. Bellinger signed a three-year, $80 million extension last winter and appears to be part of Chicago’s plans for the future. Paredes has yet to be officially added to Chicago’s active roster, so no corresponding roster moves were required.
