The Chicago Cubs inserted Alex Bregman back into the starting lineup Friday for the first game of a split doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox, just days after the third baseman suffered facial fractures from a foul ball.
Bregman will serve as the designated hitter and bat third behind Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki. The Cubs listed Tyler Taylor in left field, Nico Hoerner at second, Matt Shaw at third, Michael Busch at first, Dansby Swanson at shortstop and Miguel Amaya behind the plate, with Clay Holmes starting on the mound.
The veteran missed the previous three games after being struck in the face Sunday while standing in the on-deck circle. The ball came off the bat of teammate Michael Busch and left Bregman with multiple fractures in his left cheek, significant swelling and a black eye.
Doctors determined surgery was not required. Manager Craig Counsell said earlier in the week that Bregman was “really lucky” given the nature of the injury and that he could progress as tolerated.
Bregman resumed hitting off a high-velocity machine midweek and completed a workout that the club described as going well. The Cubs chose not to place him on the injured list, keeping him eligible to return before the regular season ends Sunday.
He will wear a batting helmet fitted with two protective C-flaps instead of the usual single flap. The extra shielding is intended to cover the fractured area of his face.
Bregman entered Friday hitting .262 with 26 home runs, 89 RBIs, 89 runs and 157 hits in 153 games. He slugged .452 and posted an .804 OPS.
His production improved sharply after the All-Star break. Through July he carried a .689 OPS. From the start of August through the injury he hit .295 with 15 homers and a 1.006 OPS over 46 games.
The Cubs signed Bregman in January to a five-year, $175 million contract after he opted out of his deal with Boston. The pact included a full no-trade clause and some deferred money.
Chicago already had added pitcher Edward Cabrera in a trade days before landing Bregman. The third baseman’s arrival was viewed as a statement signing after the Cubs had fallen short in their pursuit of him a year earlier.
Bregman, who turns 32 in March, has now played for three teams in three seasons. He won World Series titles with the Houston Astros in 2017 and 2022 and reached the postseason with the Red Sox last year.
The Cubs are wrapping the regular season at Fenway Park, where weather forced a doubleheader Friday. Game 1 was scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET.
A return this weekend would keep Bregman available as Chicago tries to lock in playoff positioning. He has appeared in the postseason in each of the last several years.
The club will continue to monitor swelling in his cheek. Counsell indicated earlier that Bregman wanted to play and was driving himself through the recovery steps.
Bregman’s presence in the middle of the order gives the Cubs another right-handed bat against Boston. Shaw will handle third base while Bregman DHs.
The late-season addition of a healthy Bregman would cap a first year in Chicago that included both an early slump and a strong second-half surge.
