Cody Bellinger’s return from the injured list has energized the Cubs’ lineup, but the star outfielder is still not at full capacity.
Bellinger fractured his finger on July 10 in Baltimore when a pitch struck his hand.
After spending nearly three weeks on the IL, he came back on July 30 and has been playing exclusively as a designated hitter since then.
This is because the fractured finger is on his left hand, and throwing remains painful.
“He’s still struggling throwing,” manager Craig Counsell said Monday. “And that tells you he’s still feeling it hitting. When he tries to make throws with intent, it’s not very enjoyable. That’s the best way to say it.
“We’re making progress. It’s just going a little slower. You won’t see him in the field this series.”
Bellinger mentioned his finger is improving and it’s now about managing the pain.
So, Bellinger will continue to serve as the Cubs’ DH for the remainder of the Twins series on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The team has a day off on Thursday and then plays the White Sox in a quick 2-game Crosstown Series on Friday and Saturday. Bellinger might return to the field at that point, or the Cubs might keep him in the DH role for a few more days (the team is also off on Sunday).
When Bellinger returns defensively, it will likely be in right field or at first base. Counsell confirmed Monday that Crow-Armstrong will continue to start in center field, with Bellinger or Mike Tauchman possibly relieving him at times.
When fully healthy, Bellinger often played right field with Suzuki as DH, enhancing the Cubs’ defense. Michael Busch has played solid defense at first base throughout his rookie season, so Bellinger would only play there to give Busch a day off.
In 7 games since returning from the IL, Bellinger has been productive at the plate – hitting .321 with an .882 OPS. He has 6 RBIs and as many homers (2) as he hit in a 2-month stretch from May 11 through July 10.
Last season, he missed a month with a knee injury and then a couple of weeks earlier this year with fractured ribs. This time, he wanted to get back on the field as soon as possible, even without a rehab assignment.
“I feel like it was good enough,” Bellinger said. “Last year with my knee, I couldn’t play at a certain percentage because I couldn’t run. With this, I felt like it was good enough.
“My swing was feeling pretty good going in. You never know until you get live ABs consistently. It was one of those things where I just feel like I could’ve rolled and helped the team win.”
The Cubs are in a tight spot and time is running out in the National League playoff race. The team needed Bellinger back – even if he wasn’t 100%.
“He’s playing with an issue right now and he’s done a good job with it,” Counsell said. “You’ll see some moments during the game or a swing or kind of the way the ball comes off the bat that it hurts.
“It doesn’t feel good. But he’s been able to manage it and stay in there and contribute.”
Bellinger has had moments where he needs to manage the pain mid-at-bat.
“There are definitely some times where I’ll call time and usually try to make that timeout worth it so I can regrip my stuff,” Bellinger said. “But overall it’s getting better. Just gonna keep on rolling with it.”