Cubs’ Cody Bellinger’s broken middle finger might take him out of trade deadline discussions

BALTIMORE — Trading Cody Bellinger was never going to be an easy decision or a straightforward deal. No matter how the Chicago Cubs perform during this final push ahead of the July 30 deadline, it now might be virtually impossible.

The Cubs placed Bellinger on the 10-day injured list with a fractured left middle finger on Thursday, a shutdown that would presumably remove the former MVP’s name from any advanced trade discussions.

“It would probably make it a little harder, I imagine,” Bellinger said. “But I don’t really know the whole process other than just control what I can control. That’s all I really try to focus on.”

Jed Hoyer’s front office can’t focus on selling, anyway, when the Cubs just swept a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles by a 21-2 aggregate score, pulling themselves back into the wild-card race with a long-awaited hot streak. Justin Steele dominated during Thursday’s 8-0 win at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, needing only 70 pitches to throw seven innings. This is starting to resemble both last year’s midseason turnaround and the product that the Cubs optimistically expected on Opening Day.

Just as the Cubs finally appear to be playing up to their potential, though, Bellinger was drilled by a 97 mph fastball from Orioles reliever Cionel Felix Pérez during Wednesday’s 4-0 victory. Bellinger’s timetable to return is uncertain, though the club is anticipating it will be a matter of weeks rather than a minimum stint on the injured list.

Cody Bellinger was removed from the game after being hit in the hand

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“I don’t really know how long he’s going to be out,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “I’m not sure if he’ll be out past July 31. I wouldn’t rule him out playing before then. But he also could be out (longer).”

Trading Bellinger this time was always seen as a hard call because of the two opt-out clauses in his three-year, $80 million contract, which could make him a two-month rental player or a major financial commitment through 2026. That deal became a compromise in spring training after Bellinger didn’t receive a megadeal last winter, a reflection of some industry concerns about his injury history and swings in performance.

Though Bellinger hasn’t been driving the ball with authority or performing like a superstar, he remains a good left-handed hitter (.742 OPS) who makes pitchers work, puts the ball in play and gets on base. When healthy, he’s still a threat, a player who can carry the offense. He’s also a plus defensive outfielder and a good base runner.

The Cubs reaching their ceiling likely involves Bellinger playing much closer to his peak level. It happened last summer when he helped prevent another sell-off at the trade deadline. Banking enough wins this month to fully commit to buying is more difficult without his contributions.

“We’re losing the guy that hits third in the lineup every day, so that hurts,” Counsell said. “You don’t replace that necessarily. But it means that we have to circle the wagons while he’s out and do our best to continue what’s been a pretty decent offensive stretch here.”

Michael Busch has firmly established himself as the team’s everyday first baseman and a solid left-handed hitter. Pete Crow-Armstrong’s elite defense in center field has given him a long runway to work through his offensive struggles. The Cubs recalled Alexander Canario from Triple-A Iowa to take Bellinger’s spot on the active roster and serve as an extra outfielder. Mike Tauchman (groin strain) will spend the All-Star break at the team’s Arizona complex, targeting a return to the Cubs shortly thereafter.

Bellinger won’t even really begin his rehab process until after the All-Star break, which would leave less than two weeks until the trade deadline. There’s a scenario in which this heals relatively quickly, but it becomes a matter of pain tolerance and how much it impacts his game, similar to the fractured ribs he suffered earlier this season.

For all of their good vibes recently, the Cubs are still only 45-49. The updates on Ben Brown (neck) and Jordan Wicks (oblique) were not positive as Counsell indicated both injured pitchers are stuck in the phase of only playing catch. A bad weekend at Busch Stadium — the Cubs will play four games against the St. Louis Cardinals over the next three days — could dramatically change the outlook.

“Every single team I’ve been on, no matter how many games we won, there’s been multiple rough stretches,” Bellinger said. “Obviously, we went on a pretty extensive one, which was extremely frustrating. But the guys in this clubhouse just continue to believe in each other and understand that we are a really good team. All around, we have what it takes to win games.”

(Photo of Cody Bellinger reacting to being hit in the hand: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)