Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman was struck in the face by a foul ball while standing in the on-deck circle during the top of the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, leaving the game immediately with a bleeding face and a swollen eye. The ball came off the bat of teammate Michael Busch, who was jammed by an inside fastball from Reds reliever Luis Mey and checked his swing, with the foul ball striking Bregman near his left eye.
Bregman was standing roughly 20 feet from home plate when the foul ball found him, according to MLB.com. He was removed from the game right away, and NBC 5 Chicago reported bleeding and swelling. Bregman departed the game after the ball struck him in the on-deck circle. The Cubs had not provided an update on his condition as of the report.
Cubs Scramble to Fill the Gap at Third
With Bregman suddenly out of the lineup, pinch-hitter Matt Shaw stepped in to finish his at-bat, drew a walk, and took over at second base, a shuffle that pushed teammate Pedro Ramírez from second to third for the rest of the contest, per AP News. The defensive reshuffling underscored just how abruptly the Cubs had to adjust without their starting third baseman in a game that mattered enormously to their playoff hopes.
Before he left, Bregman had gone 1-for-1 with an RBI single and a walk in his two plate appearances, helping the Cubs to a 9-1 win over the Reds, the report notes. His first-inning single had driven in Chicago's opening run of the game.
A Wild Card Berth Hangs in the Balance
The Cubs entered Sunday's matchup with an 86-69 record and a magic number of two to clinch a National League Wild Card spot, according to Heavy Sports. The timing could hardly have been worse for an injury to their marquee third baseman.
Bregman had been one of the National League's hottest hitters heading into the game, batting .998 OPS with 15 home runs and 41 RBIs over his previous 45 games, according to LV Fox Sports. That surge came after a slower start, as Bregman had entered August with just 11 home runs and a .248 average before catching fire down the stretch.
A Big Bet That Was Paying Off
Bregman joined the Cubs in January after signing a five-year, $175 million free-agent contract that includes a full no-trade clause and no player opt-out provisions, per MLB.com. The deal ranks as the third largest in franchise history, and it followed nine seasons with the Houston Astros, where Bregman won his first Gold Glove Award, a milestone Hoodline previously covered.
Before Sunday's injury, Bregman had put up a .260 batting average with 26 home runs and 88 RBIs, according to TSN. That production had made him a central piece of a Cubs infield the team had been building out for years.
The On-Deck Circle Incident
The on-deck area was where Bregman was struck by the foul ball.
For now, the extent of Bregman's injury and any timeline for his return remain unclear, with the Cubs yet to release an update as they push toward clinching their wild card spot in the season's final stretch.
