Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger was placed on the injured list with a fractured left middle finger on Thursday.
The Cubs recalled outfielder Alexander Canario for the series finale with the Baltimore Orioles. They visit the St. Louis Cardinals starting Friday night for a four-game set before the All-Star break.
Bellinger was hit on his left hand by a 97-mph rising fastball from left-hander Cionel Perez in the seventh inning Wednesday night in Chicago’s 4-0 win in the second game of the series, but immediate doubt surfaced about Bellinger’s short-term availability.
“It’s his left middle finger, didn’t feel like he could throw a baseball,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “We’re going to have to do some tests and figure out what’s going on.”
Bellinger said Thursday afternoon he wanted to ice the hand as soon as possible and implied he could miss time.
“A little swollen, a little bit of pain,” he said. “… I’ve learned that you’ve got to wait for the CT scan until you can make any opinions on it.”
Bellinger turns 29 on Saturday and has been the subject of trade rumors with the MLB deadline three weeks away.
He’s batting .269 with nine home runs and 37 RBIs in 2024.
Canario, 24, has played in 13 MLB games this season. He is batting .273 with one home run and two RBIs.
