The Cubs are finally getting star Cody Bellinger back in the fold, but it comes at a cost. Chicago had to demote this Duke star in a corresponding roster move.

On Thursday, the Chicago Cubs activated outfielder Cody Bellinger from the injured list as Bellinger makes his return at first base against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Bellinger's win is another player's loss, however, and the Cubs have in turn sent down infielder Matt Mervis to Triple-A Iowa.

The move comes after Mervis waded through a rough patch this past month, slashing just .167/.242/.289 in 27 games for the Cubs. He has three home runs and 32 strikeouts since his call-up and has struggled to make a consistent impact in the majors; Mervis will look to regain some confidence with more playing time in Triple-A and patiently wait for his next opportunity to shine.

Some fans believe the Cubs could have gone a different route and kept Mervis in the big leagues to give him more experience, but Chicago made its move and isn't turning back now.

Cubs send Matt Mervis to Triple-A, activate Cody Bellinger

In the meantime, go tell a friend: Cody Bellinger is back.

Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to May 16 after suffering a left knee injury. Prior to Thursday, the star slugger has hit .271 with seven homers, 20 RBIs, and an .830 OPS in 37 games so far in 2023.

Before his injury, Bellinger was looking more and more like his former National League MVP self and should play a dominant role in helping the Cubs climb up the NL Central.

He was recently rumored to be a trade piece for Chicago, but as long as he steps back into his productive form, he'll remain a key player in the Cubs' hopes to get a sniff of playoff contention this season.

The Cubs are one game away from sweeping the Pirates, and a win today, especially with Bellinger back in the lineup, will boost morale and edge the team closer to the top of the division.