Chicago Cubs outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger (illness) is absent from Sunday's lineup versus the St. Louis Cardinals with an illness. The 27-year-old takes a seat in place of Trey Mancini, who is covering the cold corner and batting sixth against southpaw Matthew Liberatore. Bellinger has looked a bit sluggish at the plate since returning from the injured list, hitting just 3-for-22 with only one extra-base hit and two RBI since June 15. The Cubs aren't back in action until Tuesday, so the southpaw has a extra day off to get back in there for the start of a three-game series versus the Philadelphia Phillies.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger is not in the team's starting lineup on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles and left-hander Cole Irvin. Bellinger returned from the injured list on Thursday and went 1-for-3 with a double, RBI, run scored, walk and a strikeout in the team's 7-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, and now he'll take a seat for a day of rest. The 27-year-old left-handed slugger has looked rejuvenated in Chicago so far in 2023, as he's hitting .272 (40-for-147) with 10 doubles, a triple, seven home runs, 21 RBI, nine stolen bases and 30 runs scored in 38 games. Christopher Morel is getting the start in center field on Friday and is hitting third in the batting order against Irvin and the O's.

The Chicago Cubs activated outfielder Cody Bellinger (knee) from the 10-day injured list on Thursday and optioned rookie first baseman Matt Mervis to Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move. Bellinger is starting at first base and batting sixth on Thursday against Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Johan Oviedo. The 27-year-old left-handed slugger missed four weeks with a left-knee contusion, but he'll be returning to a .271 average (39-for-144) with seven homers, 20 RBI and nine stolen bases. Hopefully, the former MVP can pick up where he left off at the plate. Mervis hit just .167 (15-for-90) with three homers, 11 RBI and 32 strikeouts in his first 27 big-league games, so he'll head back to the minors for some more seasoning. The 25-year-old should be back again at some point, but he'll need to make more contact if he wants to see more playing time in Chicago.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (knee) made his first rehab appearance on Tuesday with Triple-A Iowa, going 0-for-3 while playing first base. The former MVP has been on the injured list since May 19 after suffering a left knee contusion while making a play against the wall in the outfield on May 15. Before the injury, he was in the midst of a resurgence, slashing .271/.337/.493 with seven home runs, 29 runs, 20 RBI, and nine stolen bases over 37 games. The club will likely want Bellinger to play in at least a few more rehab games and get some action in the outfield before he returns to the big league club. Fantasy managers should continue to stash the 27-year-old on the IL before he returns, hopefully by the end of June.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (knee) will travel to Arizona to face live pitching before beginning a rehab assignment. The rehab update isn't anything new. However, considering Bellinger will face live pitching first could delay his return even more. The veteran has been out of the lineup since May 15 because of a left knee injury. Of course, fantasy managers should continue to wait patiently for Bellinger's return, especially since he's hitting .271 with seven home runs, 29 runs, 20 RBI, and nine stolen bases this season.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (knee) will need a rehab assignment before returning to the club, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports, but nothing is scheduled yet. The former MVP hasn't played since May 15 after suffering a left knee injury during a play in center. Bellinger was enjoying a solid bounce back after two awful seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, slashing .271/.337/.493 with seven homers, 29 runs, 20 RBI, and nine steals over 37 games. Fantasy managers would love to have the 27-year-old back right now, but he might not be back until the end of June.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (knee) has made "good strides" in the last few days. However, Bellinger isn't expected back anytime soon, with the veteran stating that a potential return during the team's road trip out west is "probably too aggressive." Bellinger has been running the bases and doing agility work of late. But nobody knows for sure when he'll be back, especially since a rehab stint hasn't been ruled out.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (knee) was cleared for running progression. The 27-year-old suffered a left knee injury in mid-May and has been on the 10-day injured list since. It's unknown if he'll need a rehab assignment. However, the latest update means he's at least moving in the right direction. Bellinger was hitting .271 with 29 runs, 20 RBI, nine stolen bases, and seven home runs before going down, so fantasy managers hopefully won't need to wait much longer before getting him back.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (knee) has resumed baseball activities, including work in the batting cage. The left-handed slugger was placed on the 10-day injured list last Friday after he hyperextended his left knee. He hasn't progressed to running yet, but that will probably be the final hurdle before he's cleared to return to the Cubs lineup. Fantasy managers will be without Bellinger for a little longer, but it sounds like he is progressing well.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (knee) has been placed on the 10-day injured list on Friday. The left-handed slugger hyperextended his left knee while making a catch during Monday's game versus the Houston Astros. He missed a couple of games, but the Cubs have ultimately decided to place him on the injured list. In a corresponding move, outfielder Mike Tauchman has been recalled from Triple-A. He won't be in the lineup on here as Christopher Morel covers center field versus Ranger Suarez on Friday.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (knee) injured his left knee in Monday's loss to the Houston Astros while making an excellent catch against the outfield wall to rob Kyle Tucker of extra bases. "A lot of it. It's just a little sore," Bellinger said. "You think of the worst-case situation right away, but it's definitely not that, which is nice." He described the injury as a hyperextension of his left knee, but he was able to walk off the field under his own power and should be alright. The Cubs will see how Bellinger feels on Tuesday before making any decisions on his availability, but fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if he sits out for a game or two. The 27-year-old finished 1-for-3 before leaving, and he's hitting .271 with seven homers, nine doubles, 20 RBI, 29 runs and an .830 OPS in a resurgent season in his first year in Chicago.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (leg) was removed from Monday's game against the Houston Astros prematurely after a play on defense. But after the contest, the former MVP told reporters that he doesn't think it's serious, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. The team will check Bellinger on Tuesday, so there will be more updates on the situation. So far, it's great news for fantasy managers, though, who would miss the 27-year-old's production if he had to miss time, as he's slashing .271/.337/.493 with seven bombs, 29 runs, 20 RBI, and nine steals over 37 games after a couple of miserable campaigns.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (leg) had an awkward landing on his left leg on Monday night in the game against the Houston Astros after making a nice catch to rob Kyle Tucker of extra bases. The good news is Bellinger was able to walk off on his own power with manager David Ross and trainer Nick Frangella. Before leaving the contest prematurely, Bellinger went 1-for-3 with a run scored and is now hitting .271 on the season. We'll know more on the 27-year-old's status moving forward either later on Monday night or Tuesday morning, so stay tuned for any updates. The left-handed slugger came into Monday's game with nine doubles, a triple, seven home runs, 20 RBI and nine stolen bases in 36 games in what has been a resurgent season for him to this point.

The Chicago Cubs activated outfielder Cody Bellinger from the paternity list on Friday and designated catcher Luis Torrens for assignment in a corresponding move. Bellinger is back in center field and is hitting sixth in the batting order on Friday against left-hander Jesus Luzardo and the Miami Marlins. The 27-year-old left-handed slugger missed the team's last three games, but he's back in time for the start of a three-game weekend series against the Fish. Bellinger has been excelling so far in his first year in Chicago, but he'll be facing a tough left-handed starter for those playing DFS. He returns to a .300/.380/.550 slash line with five doubles, five home runs, 15 RBI, four stolen bases and 18 runs scored in his first 21 games for the Cubbies.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger remains on the paternity list and out of the starting lineup on Thursday against the San Diego Padres. Fantasy managers will need to check back on Bellinger before Friday's game, but there's a good chance he's activated and plays by then in the series opener against the Miami Marlins. In his first year in Chicago, Bellinger has looked more like his MVP self from 2019 with the Dodgers, as he's hitting .300 (24-for-80) with five doubles, five home runs, 15 RBI, four stolen bases and only 13 strikeouts in 92 plate appearances and 21 games. With Bellinger still away from the team, Nelson Velazquez is getting another start in center field and is hitting seventh against Padres right-hander Seth Lugo on Thursday.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger has been placed on the paternity list on Tuesday. The left-handed slugger will be away from the team for a few days for the birth of his child. In a corresponding move, the Cubs have recalled Nelson Velasquez from Triple-A to take Bellinger's spot on the active roster. The 24-year-old went 3-for-4 with a home run in limited action with the Cubs early this season. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly with Bellinger out for a few days.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger collected five hits as part of a 10-1 thrashing of the Oakland A's on Monday. One of his five knocks was a double while he added four singles and a run scored on the evening. The former Dodger was in desperate need of a bounce-back season after struggling in each of the last two campaigns with his former club. Bellinger is now hitting .310 with three homers, three stolen bases, and an .886 OPS across 58 at-bats on the young season. While he was also caught stealing on Monday, Bellinger is once again delivering on his power/speed potential that helped him thrive earlier in his career.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger hit a single, knocked in a run, and added a solo shot in the ninth frame despite the 5-2 loss to Seattle. The 27-year-old is now hitting .238 with two home runs and nine RBI. Bellinger came over from the Dodgers after spending the first six years of his Major League Baseball career in Los Angeles. Seeing how Bellinger plays with his new club this season will keep things interesting at Wrigley Field in 2023.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger is starting in center field and is hitting cleanup on Opening Day on Thursday against right-hander Corbin Burnes and the Milwaukee Brewers. Nico Hoerner will lead off for the Cubbies, with Dansby Swanson in the two-hole and Ian Happ hitting in front of Bellinger at No. 3. Bellinger is hoping a change of scenery will get him going again at the plate. His spring numbers didn't look good, as he hit just .200 (9-for-45) with a double, triple, three home runs, eight RBI, eight runs scored and a steal in 17 Cactus League games. Bellinger was the National League MVP with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019, but too much swing and miss has caused his fantasy value to crater since then.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (illness) is back in the starting lineup for a Cactus League game against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday, starting in center field and batting cleanup. Bellinger made his spring training debut last Saturday, but he's been held out the last few days due to an illness. The 27-year-old former Rookie of the Year in 2017 and National League MVP in 2019 struggled mightily in the last couples seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, so much so that he basically became a part-time player. He'll have a chance to bounce back for the Cubs in 2023 in a regular outfield role after signing a one-year deal in the offseason. Bellinger's struggles to make contact while chasing pitches outside the zone are the two biggest issues he must overcome if he wants to be great again.