The Chicago Cubs got some crushing injury news on Wednesday.
One of their best players, Cody Bellinger, was placed on the injured list with a rib fracture, per MLB insider Jon Heyman.
“Cody Bellinger has a fractured rib and Pete Crow-Armstrong has been called up, Cubs manager Craig Counsell tells @670TheScore,” Heyman tweeted.
Cody Bellinger has a fractured rib and Pete Crow-Armstrong has been called up, Cubs manager Craig Counsell tells @670TheScore
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 24, 2024
Crow-Armstrong wasn’t having a great season at Triple-A Iowa, but offers upside, speed, and a rock-solid glove to replace Bellinger in the outfield.
Bellinger’s rate stats to this point weren’t particularly impressive: he was slashing .226/.320/.440 with a .760 OPS.
However, he had hit five home runs and driven in 17 runs, cementing his place as one of the Cubs’ most important sluggers.
Let’s not forget the season he had in 2023, when he posted a .881 OPS, 26 home runs, and 97 RBI with these Cubs.
There isn’t a timetable for Bellinger’s return, but since it’s a rib fracture, you can certainly expect the 28-year-old to be out for a while.
The injury happened as he collided into the center field wall on Tuesday.
The Cubs will certainly feel Bellinger’s absence, as the drop-off between him and Crow-Armstrong is fairly significant.
Still, he is expected to return at some point this season and Cubs fans will be sending their good vibes to him.
Just when the Cubs were surging – they won seven of their last 10 – they learn they will be without one of their best players for weeks.
