Cubs 3B Alex Bregman sent to hospital for tests after being hit in face by foul ball while on deck

CINCINNATI (AP) — Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman was taken to the hospital for tests after being struck in the face by a foul ball while standing in the grass several feet in front of the on-deck circle during Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds.

There was no decision yet on whether Bregman, who was going for X-rays and CT scans, would travel with the team back to Chicago following its 9-1 win.

“He got hit in the left cheekbone essentially, under the eye,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “I don’t know anything more than that right now. He was bleeding from his nose a little. There’s some swelling. It’s a terrible, terrible accident. We hope he’s OK.”

In the fourth inning, left-handed batting Michael Busch checked his swing and fouled off a pitch from Reds right-hander Luis Mey that struck Bregman, who immediately jogged toward the Cubs' dugout with his hand covering the left side of his face.

Bregman was escorted by a trainer down the dugout steps and into the clubhouse, with 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 shifting to third.

“It just happens so fast,” Busch said. “(Mey)'s throwing the ball hard and it comes off hard. Any time it enters the head area, it's always a scary thing. We try to focus on the game, but it's tough. Hopefully 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 RBIs 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 OK,” Pete Crow-Armstrong said. “That's the news that I'm hoping for. But scary stuff. Such a rarity.”

The Cubs could clinch a postseason berth with a Diamondbacks loss to the Yankees later Sunday.

Counsell said he hasn't thought about how a potential long-term absence for Bregman might impact his postseason roster plans.

“You know, we've got to get good results from the hospital,” Counsell said. “He got hit in the face (so) you're worried just about his general well-being first. I want to get a good report first.”

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