Ribs still aching, Bellinger homers in first game off IL

CHICAGO -- Cody Bellinger went through all the necessary tests to make sure he could feel like himself. The biggest step arrived Monday, when the Cubs’ center fielder faced live pitching at Wrigley Field and did not hold anything back with his swing.

The way Bellinger felt in that session convinced him that -- even with his rib fractures still healing -- it was the right time to rejoin Chicago’s lineup. Prior to the Cubs’ 3-2 walk-off victory over the Padres on Tuesday, Bellinger was activated from the 10-day injured list and slotted into the order as the designated hitter.

“I wouldn’t say I’m fully pain-free,” Bellinger said. “But with something like this, it takes quite a bit of time to get fully pain-free. Where it’s at, it’s a matter of pain tolerance. And I feel like I’m in a pretty good spot with it.”

That certainly looked to be the case in the fourth inning, when Bellinger attacked a full-count changeup from Padres righty Randy Vásquez and sent it rocketing over right field with a 106.6 mph exit velocity, per Statcast. The ball found the famous basket at the Friendly Confines, giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead and Bellinger his sixth home run of the season.

Bellinger ended the evening with three hits, adding a single in each of his at-bats following the home run.

Bellinger fractured two ribs in his right side when he slammed into Wrigley Field’s brick wall in left-center field on April 23 against the Astros. He reported feeling only a “dull pain” postgame, and initial X-rays came back negative. A CT scan the following morning revealed the fractures.

The nature of the injury can create a complicated comeback, but Bellinger said it helped that he actually went through something similar in 2021 with the Dodgers. In that situation, he sustained a left rib fracture late in the year and was out from Sept. 18-27. He then played six games down the stretch and a dozen more in the postseason.

“I kind of knew what to expect. It felt the exact same,” Bellinger said. “I don't remember the whole process I went through a few years ago, but it’s kind of one of those things where you just go until you think you can’t.”

That was essentially the approach to Bellinger’s recent rehab program, which began with light drills on April 28 while the Cubs were in Boston. Each morning, the outfielder would report how he felt. Then the day’s workout was mapped out. Bellinger followed that pattern as he built up volume and returned to a full range of baseball activities.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell noted that the same type of feedback and planning will continue with Bellinger now playing. Bellinger likely will remain in the DH role for the first couple games before assessing things into the upcoming road trip through Pittsburgh and Atlanta.

“It's going to be easier on him to DH,” Counsell said. “There's less risk with him DH’ing and less risk of just sliding, running -- a lot less running. So it's a way to just, hopefully, get him back playing without having to aggravate it and annoy it. And then we'll just see how the next couple of days go and go from there.”

With Bellinger back, the Cubs optioned rookie outfielder Alexander Canario to Triple-A Iowa. Fellow rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong will continue to hold down center while Bellinger eases into things. Once right fielder Seiya Suzuki returns from the IL -- he is set to start a rehab stint with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday and could be activated this coming weekend -- the Cubs will have a decision to make.

“I think Pete's played well since he's been here, I really do,” Counsell said. “I think he's probably swung the bat a little bit better than his numbers have shown. But at the same time, I think there's still development for Pete left from an offensive side. And it's really just getting at-bats, because that is a teacher as well.”

In 22 games for the Cubs before the injury, Bellinger batted .226 with five homers and 17 RBIs, but he was heating up. The veteran had an eight-game hitting streak at the time of the setback in which he hit .333 (10-for-30) with a 1.112 OPS.

The timing of the injury was frustrating for Bellinger.

“It’s more mentally draining,” he said. “Obviously, it’s physically draining, but I was just watching and wanting to be out there every night. So I’m glad to be back, and I’m ready to get back into the flow of things again.”