Cubs manager Craig Counsell: There's a chance Cody Bellinger could return from IL this homestand

Charles Rex Arbogast/AP

Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger might return from the 10-day injured list as soon as this series against the Padres, manager Craig Counsell said Monday.

‘‘If we’re going on the path that we’re going on, he will not do a rehab assignment,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘And, yeah, there’s a chance that he’s back on the homestand.’’

Bellinger (fractured right ribs) went through a workout Monday that included hitting and defense. Right fielder Seiya Suzuki (strained right oblique) joined him and also went through a running progression.

While Bellinger has been sidelined for less than two weeks, Suzuki hasn’t played since April 14, so he likely will have to go on a rehab assignment before he’s activated from the IL.

Counsell didn’t want to commit to a timeline for either player until they finished the full workout.

‘‘They got a lot of swings in,’’ Counsell said of their live batting-practice session. ‘‘So far, a good day.’’

When the two return from the IL, the Cubs will find themselves with a wealth of outfielders. In addition to left fielder Ian Happ and fourth outfielder Mike Tauchman, the team recalled Alexander Canario and Pete Crow-Armstrong from Triple-A Iowa to help fill in for Suzuki and Bellinger.

There won’t be room for all of them on the roster. For prospects, teams not only have to weigh how they’re performing but also their development path.

Bullpen churn

The churn in the bullpen, which can be expected to continue all season, saw another change Monday. The Cubs optioned reliever Keegan Thompson to Iowa to activate left-hander Justin Steele from the 15-day IL to start against the Padres.

Rookie right-hander Ben Brown, whose last two appearances were starts, will be ‘‘involved in the bullpen this series,’’ Counsell said.

Brown being used as a reliever is one example of how rotation health can improve the bullpen. But president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said he also expects other factors to contribute, including internal improvement and potential external additions.

‘‘But that stuff is generally not available this time of year,’’ Hoyer said. ‘‘And so the focus right now is on getting healthy and improving guys that might be struggling.’’

The Padres were an exception to that kind of thinking when they traded for second baseman Luis Arraez over the weekend. The Padres sent the Marlins reliever Woo-Suk Go and a trio of prospects to complete the deal.

‘‘To be honest, I knew that trade was in the works,’’ Hoyer said of his reaction. ‘‘I’ve been talking with the Marlins in general, as we talk to different people, so that wasn’t a surprise. But I don’t expect that to kick off a ton of early deals. Maybe it’ll be earlier than usual, but it’s not going to be all of a sudden in mid-May everyone’s making a bunch of trades. I don’t expect that to happen.’’

Hendricks rehab

The Cubs said right-hander Kyle Hendricks (strained lower back) will make his second rehab start Tuesday for Iowa. He pitched five innings Thursday for Double-A Tennessee.