The Chicago Cubs are about to get starting right fielder Seiya Suzuki back, but the team is also going to be without starting center fielder Cody Bellinger some time soon.
According to Cubs reporter Tony Andracki, Bellinger will be going on paternity leave any day now, as he and his girlfriend are expecting their second child.
Via Marquee Sports Network.
Adding to the outfield puzzle, Cody Bellinger’s girlfriend is due with the couple’s second child any day, so he will likely be on paternity leave for a handful of games in the near future.
This might further explain why the Cubs called up outfielder Nelson Velázquez earlier this week, as they know Bellinger is one phone call away from leaving the club to join his girlfriend for the birth of their second child.
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Under MLB’s rules, a player can miss up to three games when they are placed on the paternity leave list.
The Cubs have Thursday off and will begin a six-game road trip on Friday. The Cubs will play three games apiece against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland A’s. So, we’ll keep an eye out to see when Bellinger is placed on paternity leave.
After his first three games against the Milwaukee Brewers, Bellinger has been great at the plate. The left-handed batter began 0-for-11, with four strikeouts a walk and one RBI. No excuses, but that was against a tough trio of Milwaukee pitchers at a very cold Wrigley Field. Since then, Bellinger has been consistently hitting the ball hard and hasn’t been striking out at a high rate.
Bellinger is 10-for-31, with two home runs and eight RBI in the last eight games. That includes a hit in each of his last three games against the Seattle Mariners and back-to-back, multi-hit games this week.
In the ninth inning of Wednesday’s game against the Mariners, Bellinger hit his first home run at Wrigley Field with the Cubs. His first homer of the year was on the road against the Cincinnati Reds.
So, the timing of Bellinger’s potential departure from the Cubs isn’t perfect because it seems like he’s in a groove now, but at least the Cubs have a solid backup in Velázquez, who will most likely get the starts in center field when Bellinger leaves.
Meanwhile, Suzuki is planning on joining the Cubs this weekend in Los Angeles.
Suzuki has played in four games in his rehab assignment with the Iowa Cubs at Triple-A since Saturday.
During Wednesday’s game, Suzuki hit a first-inning home to center field and also added an infield single in his second at-bat.
It is obviously way early in the season, but fans have plenty to like about the Cubs through the team’s first 11 games. If Suzuki does return on Friday for the series opener against the Dodgers, then you could look at the Cubs going 6-5 without him as a big positive.
Left-handed hitting Miles Mastrobuoni will most likely be the player sent to Triple-A once Suzuki and Bellinger are both on the active roster.
