Cubs' Bregman Hit in Face by Foul Ball, Taken to Hospital… $175 Million Contract

In the 4th inning of the September 20 (local time) game in Cincinnati, Bregman was hit in the face by a teammate's batted ball and was replaced. The Cubs won 9-1, and no confirmed diagnosis has been reported yet.

Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.

It happened in the 4th inning. Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman, standing in the on-deck circle, was hit in the face by a batted ball. It was a foul ball hit by teammate Michael Busch, who was at bat. He was neither fielding nor hitting. The accident happened while he was waiting for his next at-bat. Yahoo Sports reported that Bregman left the game immediately afterward.

September 20, 4th inning: from the on-deck circle to the substitution

After the game, manager Craig Counsell explained the situation. He mentioned a cut and swelling near the left cheekbone as well as a bloody nose, and said Bregman had been taken to the hospital for further tests. "It's a really, really awful accident. I hope he's okay," was the manager's comment that day. MLB.com reported that he was transported for X-rays and a CT scan.

The Cubs won in Cincinnati by a score of 9-1. Reports differ even on the date. USA TODAY's September 21 article gave the date of the accident as 'Sunday, Sept. 21,' but the date confirmed by MLB's official video and Yahoo Sports' reporting is September 20. UPI wrote "right eye" in a photo caption in its 20th article, then settled on the left in its follow-up report on the 21st.

The 'I'll be back' message and an unconfirmed return timeline

Soon afterward, Bregman himself spoke up. He posted a photo of his badly swollen eye on his Instagram story along with the words "I'll be back," and USA TODAY quoted it.

However, the message gave no return date. Expressing determination and being cleared to play are different processes. In the reports reviewed, there was no team announcement about whether there was a fracture or vision damage, whether surgery is needed, or when he might return. A single photo in which he appears to have difficulty opening his eye also cannot be used to judge eyeball damage or the risk of blindness. What has been confirmed is limited to the manager's explanation, the hospital transport, and Bregman's own intention to return.

Bregman's $175 million contract is the third-largest in club history

Bregman signed with the Cubs in January 2026 to a 5-year, $175 million contract. MLB.com and AP reported the same amount, and Forbes calculated the nominal annual average at $35 million. However, the contract includes $70 million in deferred payments, to be paid in 8 installments from 2034 to 2041.

Rank	Player	Contract (as of 2026.01.12)
1	Jason Heyward	8 years, $184 million
2	Dansby Swanson	7 years, $177 million
3	Alex Bregman	5 years, $175 million
4	Jon Lester	6 years, $155 million
5	Alfonso Soriano	8 years, $136 million

This ranking compiled by Cubbies Crib is based on the time each contract was signed. The gap to No. 1 Heyward is $9 million, and to No. 2 Swanson it is $2 million. However, Bregman's contract runs 5 years, shorter than theirs, so his annual average, calculated by dividing by the length of the deal, is the highest of the three. It should be kept distinct from current salary or performance rankings.

Bregman's 2026 season stats are a batting average of .262, 26 home runs and 89 RBIs (as of 01:00 on 2026.09.22 Korea time, including the local September 20 game). With the end of the regular season approaching, there is now a possibility that the starting third baseman will be sidelined. As of the 22nd, no confirmed diagnosis had been announced by the team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Where is Bregman's injury?

Manager Counsell described a cut and swelling near the left cheekbone and a bloody nose. A UPI photo caption on the 20th said right eye, but its follow-up report on the 21st settled on the left.

Q. How big is Bregman's contract?

It is a 5-year, $175 million contract signed with the Cubs in January 2026. The nominal annual average is $35 million, and $70 million of it is deferred, to be paid in 8 installments from 2034 to 2041.

Q. Has Bregman's return date been set?

It has not been confirmed. Bregman said "I'll be back," but gave no specific date, and no team announcement with a confirmed diagnosis and return date has been found.

Related official sites

Chicago Cubs official website — Check the team's official announcements on the injured list and game results
MLB Alex Bregman official player stats — An official, regularly updated stats page with batting average, home runs and RBIs

Featured image · Archive photo · Not a scene photo from the game in this article · Photo composite · Photo = Wikimedia Commons (Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA), CC BY-SA 2.0 · Photo = Wikimedia Commons (redlegsfan21), CC BY-SA 2.0