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Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman has suffered multiple facial fractures after being bludgeoned in the face with a foul ball during Sunday’s 9-1 win over the Reds in Cincinnati.
Bregman was standing several feet in front of the on-deck circle when he took a shot off teammate Michael Busch’s bat. Game footage showed Busch was actually checking his swing but nonetheless deflected the ball off the right side of the batter’s box and into Bregman’s left eye.
Although he immediately dropped his bat and went stumbling backwards, Bregman did not fall to the ground. Instead, he ran towards the Cubs dugout while holding his face before coming to a stop as trainers began to address his wound.
It was quickly decided that he needed to go to the clubhouse for a better evaluation, and he was seen being led down the dugout steps by trainers. Ultimately, he was taken to a Cincinnati-area hospital for X-rays and a CT scan.
Bregman responded shortly after the game on social media with a photo of his battered face. Not only was his black-and-blue eye firmly swollen shut, but the 32-year-old’s bloody nostril was stuffed with a specialized cotton nasal plug favorited by boxing cutmen.
‘Thanks for all the messages yall,’ Bregman wrote on Instagram. ‘I’ll be back.’
Alex Bregman was standing well in front of the on-deck circle when he was hit with the ball
Bregman initially ran towards the Cubs dugout while holding his face before coming to a stop as trainers began to address his wound. He was then removed from the game
Not only was Bregman's black-and-blue eye firmly swollen shut, but the 32-year-old’s bloody nostril was stuffed with a specialized cotton nasal plug favorited by boxing cutmen
Bregman's eye remained swollen shut above a patch of dried blood on his overgrown cheek
Due to the tests he received in Cincinnati, Bregman did not immediately travel with the Cubs back to Chicago. But when he did finally arrive back home, Bregman shared another photo of his face, which had only grown more swollen.
‘Back in Chicago,’ read the caption.
This time the tampon was out of Bregman’s nose, but his eye remained swollen shut above a patch of dried blood on his overgrown cheek.
ESPN's baseball insider Jeff Passan reported on Monday that while Bregman has several fractures, he will not undergo surgery and hopes to return for the playoffs.
Bregman arrived as a free agent after signing a five-year, $175 million deal with the Cubs following his 2025 season in Boston.
Best known for his years in Houston, Bregman initially struggled with the Cubs, but has seen his OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) jump from a disappointing .696 over the first half of the season to a robust .978 over his last 59 games.
For the year, Bregman has 26 home runs to go with a .262 average and .352 on-base percentage.
