Cubs OF Cody Bellinger sidelined by two fractured ribs on his right side

CHICAGO (AP) — Cody Bellinger has two fractured ribs on his right side, sidelining another key player for the Chicago Cubs.

Bellinger got hurt when he hit the wall in center while trying to make a play on Yainer Diaz's RBI double in the fourth inning of Tuesday night's 7-2 victory over Houston. He was replaced in the field before the Astros batted in the seventh.

X-rays were negative, and Bellinger downplayed the injury after the win. But he had a CT scan on Wednesday morning that showed the fractures.

“He woke up feeling good,” Chicago manager Craig Counsell said. “He was encouraged how he woke up feeling and he was like, ‘I think I kind of dodged something,’ was his words, actually. And unfortunately it just revealed what’s there.”

Counsell didn't have a timetable for Bellinger's return.

“The doctors will come up with a plan,” Counsell said before Wednesday's 4-3 victory over the Astros, “and, like everything, he's got to get symptom-free first and we'll go from there.”

The Cubs put Bellinger on the 10-day injured list and recalled Pete Crow-Armstrong from Triple-A Iowa. The 22-year-old outfielder is considered one of the team's top prospects, but he hit just .203 (16 for 79) with 24 strikeouts in his first 19 games of the season in the minors.

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).

Even with the injuries, Chicago is off to a 15-9 start. It will try to sweep its three-game set against Houston on Thursday afternoon.

“We have good players here, not only that started the year here, but that’s in our system and a part of this organization,” shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “We knew coming in that obviously it was going to take more than just the 26 that broke camp, and it’s already being put on full display.”

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.

The 28-year-old Bellinger hit .307 with 26 homers, 97 RBIs and 20 steals in 2023 in his first season with the Cubs, regaining his form after a couple of down years. He re-signed with Chicago in February for an $80 million, three-year contract.

Bellinger had just started to heat up before the injury. The 2019 NL MVP is batting .333 (10 for 30) with three homers and seven RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.

“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.”

It remains to be seen how often Crow-Armstrong plays while Bellinger is out. He entered Wednesday night's game as a defensive replacement before the start of the eighth inning.

While Crow-Armstrong has struggled at the plate, he could help the Cubs with his defense and baserunning. He made his big league debut last year and went 0 for 14 while appearing in 13 games.

“I know how to play my role a little bit better now,” he said. “I think I have a better understanding of how to be myself as well. So yeah, I'm just coming in again with the same goal in mind and trying to win ballgames.”

The 34-year-old Hendricks was placed on the IL on Tuesday. The right-hander said his back issue popped up during a bullpen session last week and continued through his start on Sunday.

He is 0-3 with a 12.00 ERA through five starts, but he didn't feel as though the injury was a major factor in his tough opening to the season.

“I got to keep my mindset on the execution and the pitches I'm making there. Can't use excuses (like) that,” Hendricks said. “But, on the other hand, we just want to give myself a chance to get to 100 percent so I know there aren't any issues. I'm strictly focused on the pitching.”

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Chicago Cubs' Cody Bellinger runs the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Cody Bellinger runs the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Cody Bellinger celebrates after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger struggles to catch a fly ball from Houston Astros' Yainer Diaz as it bounces off the ivy during the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger struggles to catch a fly ball from Houston Astros' Yainer Diaz as it bounces off the ivy during the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

PHOENIX (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jake Cronenworth hit back-to-back homers, Dylan Cease pitched 6 2/3 strong innings and the San Diego Padres won their third game in a row, beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-1 on Friday night.

Manny Machado hit a two-run homer. Cronenworth finished with three extra-base hits, adding two doubles.

The Padres had a big offensive game on the same night they learned they might be adding another good hitter. San Diego is close to acquiring two-time batting champion Luis Arráez in a deal with the Marlins.

“I think it's great — you're always looking for more offense and a left-handed bat to balance out the lineup,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “But listen, nothing's official. We'll leave it at that.”

The Diamondbacks have lost 10 straight series openers after beating the Colorado Rockies on opening day.

D-backs pitcher Slade Cecconi (1-2) retired the first nine batters he faced, but ran into trouble in the fourth. Jurickson Profar walked to start the inning and Tatis launched a shot to left-center — his seventh homer of the season.

Cronenworth followed with another homer to make it 3-0 and rookie Jackson Merrill broke an 0-for-20 stretch at the plate with a one-out RBI double for a 4-0 lead.

Cronenworth had a down 2023 season, but has looked much more like the hitter who was an All-Star in 2021 and 2022 through the first month of this season. He's batting .279 with six homers and 25 RBIs.

It was Cronenworth’s second straight game with a homer. He hit a grand slam in the team’s 6-2 victory over the Reds on Wednesday.

“It's the right approach with the right swing,” Shildt said. “He's married both. He's driving the ball to all different parts of the field and not trying to do to much.”

Cecconi didn't make it out of the fifth, giving up six runs over 4 1/3 innings.

The Padres' three-homer outburst provided plenty of support for Cease (4-2), the hard-throwing right-hander who gave up just one run on three hits while striking out eight. He didn't allow a walk.

“I think my fastball command was a lot better, which is really a lot of the battle,” Cease said. “When I'm getting my fastball where it needs to go, it opens up a lot of stuff.”

Machado made it 7-0 in the fifth with a two-run homer to left center off reliever Matt Bowman. The scorched line drive came off Machado's bat at 111.7 mph.

The sliding D-backs — defending National League champions — have lost 10 of their past 15 games and fell to 14-19 for the season.

“We got beat tonight,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "We got out-managed, we got out-pitched, we got out-hit, we got out-coached. We've got to find a way to get the job done and play our type of baseball. That's the bottom line.

“We're grinding away. We're trying.”

Arizona finished with just three hits. Eugenio Suárez had an RBI single in the fifth.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Diamondbacks: Lovullo told reporters that closer Paul Sewald (oblique) and OF Alex Thomas (hamstring) could return to the active roster as soon as Tuesday against the Reds.

UP NEXT

The D-backs will throw RHP Brandon Pfaadt (1-1, 4.63 ERA) while the Padres will counter with RHP Michael King (2-3, 5.00 ERA) on Saturday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte, left, celebrates his double as San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, front right, of South Korea, and umpire Phil Cuzzi (10) look for the baseball during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt watches the action on the field during the second inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday, May 3, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado (13) rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run as Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker, left, pauses at first base during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Matt Bowman, center, rubs up a new baseball after giving up a two-run home run to San Diego Padres' Manny Machado, left, during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado points to the sky as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte, right, slides safely into second base with a double as San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, of South Korea, applies a late tag during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr., right, celebrates his two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks with Padres' Manny Machado (13) during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)