Chicago Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger has been placed on the injured list after suffering a fractured rib during Tuesday’s game at Wrigley Field. The injury occurred when Bellinger crashed into the wall while attempting to catch a double. X-rays were initially negative, but further evaluation revealed the fracture. Bellinger joins five other Cubs on the injured list, including ace Justin Steele and starter Kyle Hendricks.
Bellinger left the game before the seventh inning. He suffered the injury in the top of the fourth, crashing into the wall while trying to catch a Yainer Diaz RBI double. X-rays were negative, and the Cubs labeled the injury as a right rib bruise. Bellinger said postgame that he was encouraged by how he felt, describing the dull pain as a good sign. That tune changed Wednesday.
Outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was promoted from Triple-A Iowa to take Bellinger’s roster spot. Crow-Armstrong, the organization’s top prospect, was not in the starting lineup Wednesday for Game 2 of the Houston Astros series.
Bellinger, 28, missed 26 games last season after jumping at the right-center-field wall against the Astros on May 15 in Houston. He suffered a left knee bruise when he came down on the padded lip of the wall cutout after making the catch and then hyperextended his leg on the landing.
