Is Cody Bellinger in the Chicago Cubs starting lineup tonight?

Jordan Campbell

Houston Astros v Chicago Cubs / Jamie Sabau/GettyImages

Chicago Cubs starting center fielder Cody Bellinger will not be in the Cubs' starting lineup on Wednesday night against the Houston Astros.

In fact, it could be some time before Cubs fans see Bellinger in the team's starting lineup again.

Bellinger left Tuesday's game after colliding with the center field wall and initial reports were that his removal was more of a precaution. Even after initial reports indicated that x-rays that Bellinger took after the game were negative, manager Craig Counsell revealed on 670 The Score on Wednesday afternoon that Bellinger will be headed to the IL with a fractured rib.

Cody Bellinger has a fractured rib and is headed for the injured list, Craig Counsell tells @ParkinsSpiegel.

It's unclear when he could return.
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) April 24, 2024

Cody Bellinger is out indefinitely for the Chicago Cubs after suffering a fractured rib.

Top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong is being recalled to take Bellinger's place on the 26-man roster. It will be curious to see how often Crow-Armstrong is used after he was rarely deployed last September during his first stint at the Major League level. While Crow-Armstrong will certainly get more playing time under Counsell this season than he did was David Ross last season, Mike Tauchman will likely be the first option for the Cubs in center field while Bellinger is sidelined.

With Seiya Suzuki also sidelined with an oblique injury, Alexander Canario may see himself in the starting lineup in a more regular capacity.

It's been a devastating month for the Cubs in terms of injuries as Opening Day starting pitcher Justin Steele suffered a hamstring injury in his first outing, while Suzuki is expected to remain on the IL for, at minimum, another three weeks.

In case you're wondering, it has been a slow start offensively for Crow-Armstrong in Triple-A this season. Crow-Armstrong was slashing .203/.241/.392 with a wRC+ of 54 in 83 plate appearances prior to his promotion back to the Major League level.

Jordan Campbell

For nearly 15 years, Jordan has been a workhorse across the FanSided network - including being the inaugural site expert for Cubbies Crib, as well as a stop at Da Windy City as the site expert. In addition to returning to be a Co-Site Expert at Cubbies Crib, Jordan was previously the Site Expert at Bear Goggles On. In the years since, Jordan has joined FanSided's full-time team, serving as a staff writer for the MLB division. Jordan's work can be seen across the MLB division, including a consistent presence on our Cubs, Twins, Astros, and Tigers sites. Since 2010, Jordan has dedicated his craft to providing insightful commentary on all things Chicago sports, and he has enjoyed his venture into all things Major League Baseball.