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          Chicago Cubs Report

          Cubs' Cody Bellinger placed on injured list with fractured ribs

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          Cody Bellinger whomps a 2-run dinger in the 1st inning (0:28)

          Cody Bellinger gives the Cubs a 2-0 lead early on over the Astros with a two-run home run in the first inning. (0:28)

          • ESPN News Services
          Apr 24, 2024, 04:49 PM ET

          Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger has two fractured ribs and has been placed on the 10-day injured list, manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday.

          Bellinger, a two-time All-Star selection, crashed into the center-field wall during Tuesday's game while tracking a fly ball hit by Houston's Yainer Diaz that went for a double and scored Kyle Tucker. He left the game an inning later.

          Counsell said after Tuesday's game that the X-rays on Bellinger were clean, but a CT scan on Wednesday revealed the injury. A timeframe of his return in unclear, Counsell said.

          "He woke up feeling good. Unfortunately [the CT scan] just revealed what's there," Counsell said. "... He has to get symptom-free first and then we'll go from there.

          "... He's bummed out, for sure. Now he starts working on getting back."

          In a corresponding move, the Cubs called up Pete Crow-Armstrong, their top prospect.

          Bellinger, in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak, is batting .226 with five home runs and 17 RBIs.

          Crow-Armstrong, 22, made his MLB debut last September and went 0-for-14 with three walks. He's batting .203 with two home runs, five doubles and seven RBIs at Triple-A Iowa this season.

          Bellinger joined fellow outfielder Seiya Suzuki on the IL, along with left-handers Justin Steele (left hamstring) and Drew Smyly (right hip), and right-handers Kyle Hendricks (low back strain) and Julian Merryweather (rib stress fracture).

          Suzuki has been out since April 14 because of a right oblique strain. Counsell said he has resumed baseball activities and could be ready to go on a rehab assignment shortly after the team returns from its upcoming seven-game road trip.

          "When you lose, I think, Seiya, when you lose Cody, players like that, your offense doesn't improve. You know, it can't, right?" Counsell said.

          "Frankly what your goal is in those situations is to, there's going to be a little bit of a drop-off, but you hope to minimize it as much as you can. And I do think we're in that position, to just minimize maybe their absences a little bit."

          ESPN's Jesse Rogers and Field Level Media contributed to this report.