Cubs Roster Moves: Bellinger to Paternity List, Velazquez Returns

We’d been waiting on this move for a little while – or at least, had it teed up as a possibility going back quite a while now. Babies come when they come.

Cody Bellinger is headed to the paternity list today, and outfielder Nelson Velazquez has been called up from Iowa to take his spot on the roster. Bellinger, who has been scorching hot since the first series of the year, was awaiting the arrival of his second kiddo with his girlfriend. Congrats to the family!

The paternity list generally lasts from one to three days, so Bellinger should be back at some point before the weekend.

In his place, Velazquez could see some time in center field, since the Cubs don’t have a natural back-up in the spot otherwise on the roster.

Velazquez, 24, can play all over the outfield, and delivered a dramatic moment in his previous call-up. In fact, that grand slam was arguably the best moment of the season so far. At Triple-A Iowa, Velazquez has been hitting .327/.403/.618/158 wRC+, with a mix of likely unsustainable peripherals but also just blistering the crap out of the ball (which makes it harder to know what to do with a .424 BABIP).