Chicago Cubs third base Alex Bregman was taken to hospital for tests after being hit in the face by a foul ball while standing on the grass a few meters in front of the on-deck circle during Sunday’s game against Cincinnati Reds.
There was no decision yet on whether Bregman, who was undergoing X-rays and CT scans, would travel with the team to Chicago after the 9-1 victory.
“He got hit in the left cheekbone basically, under the eye,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “I don’t know anything more than that right now. He was bleeding a little bit from his nose. There’s some swelling. It’s a terrible, terrible accident. We hope he’s OK.”
In the fourth round, a left hand strike Michael Busch controlled his swing and hit a pitch from Reds right-hander Luis Mey that hit Bregman, who immediately ran toward the Cubs dugout with his hand covering the left side of his face.
Bregman was escorted by a trainer down the stairs and into the clubhouse, blood visible on his face. Matt Shaw replaced Bregman and drew a walk. He remained in the game to play second base, with Pedro Ramirez moving on to the third.
“It just happens so fast,” Busch said. “(Mey) is throwing the ball hard and it’s coming away hard. Anytime he gets in the head zone, it’s always a scary thing. We try to focus on the game, but it’s tough. We hope he’s OK, first and foremost.”
Bregman went 1 for 1 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored before leaving the game. He is batting .262 with 26 home runs and 89 RBI after signing a $175 million, five-year free agent deal in January.
“I mean, at the end of the day, you just hope your friend is okay,” Pete Crow-Armstrong said. “That’s the news I’m hoping for. But scary stuff. Such a rare thing.”
The Cubs could clinch a postseason berth with one Diamond back loss to Yankees later on sunday.
Counsell said he hasn’t thought about how a potential long-term absence for Bregman might affect his postseason plans.
“You know, we have to get good results from the hospital,” Counsell said. “He got hit in the face (so) you’re just concerned about his general well-being first. I want to get a good report first.”
Reporting by the Associated Press.