Cubs 3B Alex Bregman hit in face by foul ball, leaves game

Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman left Sunday’s game in Cincinnati after he was hit in the face by a foul ball while standing in the on-deck circle.

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In the top of the fourth inning, Reds reliever Luis Mey jammed the Cubs’ Michael Busch with an inside fastball. Busch checked his swing, but the ball hit his bat and sent a liner toward the backstop that appeared to hit Bregman near his left eye.

Bregman, standing approximately 20 feet from the plate, covered his eye immediately and jogged to the dugout, where the trainer applied a towel to slow the flow of blood. Bregman was hustled down the stairs and into the clubhouse for more treatment.

Matt Shaw pinch hit for Bregman and stayed in the game at second base while Pedro Ramirez shifted to third.

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Bregman, who hit an RBI single and walked in his two plate appearances Sunday, has been one of the National League’s hottest hitters over the last two months.

He entered August with 11 homers, a .248 average and a .720 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS). Entering Sunday’s game, Bregman had hit 15 homers and drove in 41 runs over the last 45 games while batting .291 with a .998 OPS.

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–Field Level Media

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This story was originally published September 20, 2026 at 3:28 PM.