CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs activated Cody Bellinger from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday, a big boost after the slugger missed two weeks because of broken ribs.

Bellinger batted third and was the designated hitter against the San Diego Padres in his first appearance since April 23. The 2019 NL MVP fractured two ribs on his right side when he ran into the center field wall at Wrigley Field trying to make a play against the Houston Astros.

“You want to have your best players in the lineup, you want to be able to put your best team out there as much as you can,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Getting Cody back puts us in a step in the right direction. We’re happy to have him back. He’s been a really good offensive player in this league. He’s been off a little bit, but confident that it was a short layoff and we can get him back in the swing of things quickly.”