The Cubs received a hopeful prognosis on star third baseman Alex Bregman, who was struck in the face by a foul ball while standing near the on-deck circle on Sunday, Sept. 20. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Bregman will not undergo surgery despite suffering multiple facial fractures after being struck by a foul ball off a teammate's bat during the Cubs' game against the Cincinnati Reds. Passan reports Bregman is "hopeful to return in the postseason." Bregman immediately left the game in the fourth inning Sunday after Michael Busch's foul tip careened toward Bregman, who didn't have time to get out of the way.
Bregman, 32, has been one of the Cubs' most important players during the first year of a five-year, $175 million contract he signed in January. Assuming his regular season is over, Bregman finishes his first season in Chicago with a .262/.352/.452 slash line in 153 games. Bregman's 5.4 bWAR also reflects his outstanding defense at third base, and will stand as his most in a single season since 2019.
More news: AL Rookie Emerging as Dark Horse MVP Candidate But Bregman could not get out of the way of a foul ball off the bat of teammate Michael Busch in the fourth inning Sunday. The veteran immediately left the game with blood visible on his face. He later underwent testing in a hospital after the ball struck him near his cheekbone.
After leaving Sunday's game, Bregman posted a selfie to his Instagram account that showed the extent of the damage the foul ball left on his face. More news: Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong Sets Another Record Amid MVP Season "Thanks for all the messages yall," Bregman captioned the post. "I'll be back." By electing not to undergo surgery, he might be back soon — even if it means his future as a model is dimmer.
More news: Chicago Stars Caleb Williams, Caleb Wilson Go Viral at Cubs Game The Cubs are 87-69 after beating the Reds. Through Sunday, they're tied with the surging San Diego Padres for the first wild-card position in the National League. They will need all they can get from Bregman to win their first World Series since 2016.
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