“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 2 home runs, 5 doubles and 7 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,” Counsell said. “You know, it can’t, right?
“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 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.”
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, Field Level Media and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
