Composite story
Cubs' Alex Bregman suffered facial fractures from a foul ball
Cincinnati, OhioPublished 22 Sep 2026
Leslie / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5 · source
A foul ball hit Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman in the on-deck circle in Cincinnati. ESPN reported multiple facial fractures, no surgery, and hope of a postseason return. The team had not confirmed that diagnosis.
Alex Bregman was hit in the face by a foul ball while waiting on deck in the fourth inning of the Cubs' 9-1 win over the Reds on Sunday. He left for a hospital. On Monday, ESPN reported multiple facial fractures, no surgery, and hope that he can return in the postseason. MLB.com said the Cubs had not confirmed the report. Outlets differ on whether he dropped to the ground, and on his exact batting average and RBI total.
Shared opinions
None yet.
Disputed opinions
None yet.
Alex Bregman 'hopeful' to be available for Cubs in playoffs after getting hit in face by foul ball, per report
Published 21 Sep 2026 accessed 22 Sep 2026
Facts
Craig Counsell said the Cubs had to get good results from the hospital first.
Alex Bregman shared an update on social media Monday morning.
A 10-day injured-list stint would keep Alex Bregman out of the wild-card series but allow a return for the NLDS if the Cubs advance.
The Cubs were five games up on a wild-card spot.
Only seven days remained in the regular season.
The Cubs have been eliminated from the NL Central race.
The Cubs were lined up to face the Padres, though wild-card seeding was still unsettled.
Opinion
The foul-ball injury was an unfortunate accident.
Craig Counsell said the first worry was Alex Bregman's general well-being.
The biggest question is whether the swelling will subside soon enough for Alex Bregman to see out of his left eye.
Alex Bregman did not have enough time to react because he was so close to home plate.
Alex Bregman will not be able to play if his vision is impaired.
Using Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramirez instead of Alex Bregman would be a downgrade.
Pete Crow-Armstrong is the National League MVP frontrunner, and the Cubs would have to rely more heavily on him, Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson, and Nico Hoerner.
Alex Bregman has been the Cubs' second-best player this season, behind Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Cubs’ Alex Bregman shares photos after taking foul ball to face, reportedly has 'multiple facial fractures'
Published 21 Sep 2026 accessed 22 Sep 2026
Facts
The Cubs were tied with the Padres atop the NL wild-card standings, one game ahead of the Phillies.
Six games remained, and the Cubs' playoff seed and opening-round site were still unsettled.
Alex Bregman has a 1.006 OPS over his last 61 games.
Alex Bregman has 18 doubles in his last 61 games.
Alex Bregman is putting up the best defensive numbers of his career.
Alex Bregman is a Gold Glove winner.
Alex Bregman ranks in the top 10 all-time in postseason games, at-bats, home runs, and runs scored.
Opinion
Being without Alex Bregman would be impactful at the end of the season and the start of October.
Alex Bregman has been the Cubs' second-best hitter this season, and his bat caught fire around the All-Star break.
Alex Bregman has been a key figure in a Cubs defense the Sun-Times calls the best in baseball.
Alex Bregman is one of the most accomplished postseason hitters in baseball history.
Alex Bregman provides encouraging update a day after being hit in face with foul ball
Published 21 Sep 2026 accessed 22 Sep 2026
Facts
Alex Bregman had gauze in his left nostril.
Alex Bregman lost his bat when the ball struck him.
The Astros beat the Dodgers in the 2017 World Series and MLB later found they illegally used technology to steal signs that season.
Alex Bregman and the Astros also won the 2022 World Series.
Opinion
The injury was gruesome.
Craig Counsell called it a terrible accident.
Alex Bregman is probably best known to Los Angeles fans as a member of that Astros team.
Bregman has facial fractures, but postseason return possible (report)
Published 21 Sep 2026 accessed 22 Sep 2026
Facts
The Cubs have not confirmed the facial-fracture report.
Craig Counsell said Alex Bregman had a cut under his eye.
Craig Counsell said he thought the ball hit Alex Bregman in the nose.
Matt Shaw, a Gold Glove finalist at third base last season, has a .749 OPS in 73 games.
Pedro Ramirez, who debuted on May 23, has a .743 OPS in 75 games.
Opinion
Michael Busch said you never want to see that on the ball field.
Michael Busch said you cannot control a play like that.
Michael Busch said it happened so fast.
Michael Busch said any time the ball hits the head area, it is scary.
Michael Busch said you focus on the game, but it is tough.
Craig Counsell called it an unfortunate accident.
Report: Cubs' Bregman won't need surgery for facial fracture
Published 21 Sep 2026 accessed 22 Sep 2026
Facts
Matt Shaw drew a walk.
Matt Shaw remained in the game at second base.
Pedro Ramirez shifted to third base.
Michael Busch said he hopes Alex Bregman is OK first.
The Cubs lead MLB with 217 home runs.
Opinion
Michael Busch said it happens so fast.
Michael Busch said any time the ball enters the head area, it is scary.
Michael Busch said they try to focus on the game, but it is tough.
Cubs' Alex Bregman hospitalized after getting hit in face with foul ball
Published 20 Sep 2026 accessed 22 Sep 2026
Facts
Alex Bregman walked off Sunday, Sept. 20, with a towel pressed to his face.
Alex Bregman was evaluated for broken bones.
There was no official diagnosis on Sunday.
The Cubs were leading 5-0.
The Cubs' third inning was a four-run inning.
Alex Bregman's OPS is .801.
Opinion
Neither Matt Shaw nor Pedro Ramirez has Alex Bregman's experience in a playoff race.
Any fracture would change the outlook for Alex Bregman considerably.
Facial fractures around the cheekbone or eye socket can sideline a player for weeks, and a hitter usually must be cleared before facing live pitching.
Latest Alex Bregman News Features Some Good, Some Bad for the Cubs
Published 21 Sep 2026 accessed 22 Sep 2026
Facts
Alex Bregman was in noticeable pain.
Before the ESPN report, the severity of Alex Bregman's injury and how long the Cubs expected him to miss were unknown.
That resulted in a blown lead in the wild-card race.
Over his last 30 games, Alex Bregman hit .289 with 10 home runs and 28 RBIs.
Alex Bregman had 13 strikeouts over that stretch.
Opinion
Most Cubs fans knew from the photos that Alex Bregman would not be on the field in the coming days.
Whether Alex Bregman can return in the coming weeks remains up in the air.
The Cubs' bullpen started to implode, and their wild-card competition became incredibly hot.
Home-field advantage is on the line, and that is a tough result after the Cubs' early-season success.
Alex Bregman had a rough start with the Cubs but was finally looking like the All-Star and World Series champion they signed to a five-year deal.
The next couple of weeks are far more important than Cubs fans would have liked.
Alex Bregman will now be stuck in the dugout.
Alex Bregman's play at third was excellent, and he looked like a veteran star for the games that matter most.
It is hard to foresee Alex Bregman in the lineup for Game 1 of a wild-card series.
Passan's note that Alex Bregman is hopeful is not a concrete timeline.
It is unclear which playoff round Jeff Passan means.
The report does not say whether the return would be the wild-card series in about a week or an NLDS.
A hopeful postseason return is better than the alternative.
The wild-card series becomes harder without Alex Bregman.
The Cubs winning a wild-card series without Alex Bregman is not out of the question, because they have fared well against their likely opponents.
Alex Bregman was signed exactly for big postseason moments.