Chicago Cubs fans, there’s a bit of a bump in the road. Star outfielder Cody Bellinger, who’s been on fire at the plate recently, has been sidelined with a fractured rib injury, according to Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network. This is a significant blow to the Cubbies. After all, they’re currently exceeding expectations and sitting pretty in first place in the National League Central.

But fear not, Cubs faithful! While things might seem bleak right now with Bellinger’s injury, there’s still hope. Let’s delve into the latest updates on his status and explore some educated guesses on his return date.

Cubs analyst Sam Olbur chimed in on the Locked on Cubs YouTube channel, expressing his concerns about Cody Bellinger’s absence. He started with a burst of enthusiasm, referencing the recent Cubs win: “I just want to say yeah! Because that was a big win! Uh, on Wednesday night, that was a big one!” However, his tone quickly shifted.

While acknowledging the team’s impressive performance despite the mounting injuries, Olbur cautioned that things might not be sustainable in the long run. “It’s unsustainable to continue winning at a clip when you don’t have Bellinger, (Seiya) Suzuki, and then some,” he said, highlighting the importance of these key players to the Cubs’ success.  So, Cubs fans are naturally eager to know: When can they expect to see Bellinger back on the field?

Offering some hope, Olbur himself weighed in on the show with a prediction on Bellinger’s return. “I think it’s going to be at least four weeks,” he said, referencing his own analysis. He elaborated further, “You know, as I said on my Twitter video today… I don’t look at these injuries and go, ‘Oh well, next man up.’”  While acknowledging the team’s strong performance and depth, he emphasized the significance of Bellinger’s absence. “The Cubs are playing well; it’s a great bonus; I’m excited about it. But it still really stings!”

That puts a potential return date for Cody Bellinger somewhere in early June. However, injuries are fickle things, and setbacks are always a possibility. This isn’t exactly news for the Chicago Cubs, who’ve already seen a number of key players sidelined this month.

A look at the Cubs’ growing injury list beyond Cody Bellinger

While Bellinger’s injury is a major blow, he’s unfortunately not the only key player on the Cubs’ roster currently sidelined. This piling on of inactive players raises concerns. Let’s take a look at some of the other notable injuries plaguing the team.

Outfielder Seiya Suzuki is also sidelined with a similar oblique injury, joining Bellinger on the injured list. Early reports suggest Suzuki might be back sooner, possibly by mid-May. Adding to the Cubs’ woes, starting pitcher Drew Smyly landed on the 15-day IL with a right hip impingement. There’s no official timetable for his return, but it’s likely he’ll be out for several weeks.

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Another starting pitcher, Justin Steele, is also on the 15-day IL with a hamstring injury. While he recently threw a bullpen session, there’s no guarantee on when he’ll be back on the mound in a game situation. This adds to the Cubbies’ pitching woes, as several other key hurlers have also landed on the Injured List this season.

Kyle Hendricks, Julian Merryweather, Caleb Kilian, and Ben Leeper—all of these players have been shifted to IL following some of the injuries that have hampered the team this season. While their depth has been impressive, losing this much talent besides Cody Bellinger can’t be easy to overcome for the Cubs.

However, there’s a silver lining. As analyst Olbur said on Locked on Cubs, “the Cubs are playing well.” The team certainly has the fighting spirit and the talent to weather this storm. Here’s to a speedy recovery for all the injured players and a strong second half for the Chicago Cubs!