The Chicago Cubs can punch their ticket to the postseason on Tuesday, when they open a three-game series at home against the Miami Marlins. Even so, considerable uncertainty hangs over manager Craig Counsell's club — above all, the health of one of its top sluggers.

Third baseman Alex Bregman posted a selfie on Instagram on Monday morning, one day after being hit in the face by a ball while on deck in the fourth inning of the Cubs' 9-1 win over the host Cincinnati Reds. The photo showed his left eye blackened and swollen shut, with a laceration underneath. Bregman, who sustained multiple facial fractures, told fans he was back in town after a trip to the hospital following the incident.

"It's just an unfortunate accident and terrible, terrible accident," Counsell said. "Hoping and praying he's OK."

ESPN reported Monday afternoon that Bregman will not need surgery and hopes to return for the postseason.

The 32-year-old, an 11-year veteran who signed a five-year, $175-million contract with Chicago in the offseason, is hitting .262 through 153 games. His 26 home runs and 89 RBIs rank second on the team, both behind Pete Crow-Armstrong. Over his last 25 games, Bregman batted .290 (27-for-93) with seven homers and 20 RBIs.

Even if the Cubs clinch on Tuesday — which would happen with a win over the Marlins or an Arizona Diamondbacks loss to the Colorado Rockies — who and where they will play remains up in the air. Chicago is currently tied with the San Diego Padres atop the National League (NL) wild-card standings, with the Philadelphia Phillies one game behind. Since 2022, MLB's postseason format has featured six playoff teams per league, with the wild-card round played as best-of-three series hosted entirely by the higher seed — a structure that makes every shift in the standings matter for who plays where when the postseason begins.

Shota Imanaga (11-10, 3.80 ERA) is in line to start Tuesday for the Cubs. The lefty has won his past three starts, including on Sept. 4 at Miami, where he scattered one run on three hits and struck out four over six innings. He is 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA all-time against the Marlins.

The Marlins (76-80) come in having fallen out of the race: three weeks ago they were just 2 1/2 games back for the final wild-card spot, then lost seven of their next eight.

As Miami plays out the final week, shortstop Otto Lopez will look to cap his All-Star season on a high note. He leads the major leagues with 185 hits and ranks third in the NL with a .305 batting average. Fifteen hits this week would make Lopez the first player since Bobby Witt, Jr. and his former Marlins teammate Luis Arraez in 2024 to reach 200 hits in a season.

"All I'm thinking about is just finishing as strong as possible. If I can get to 200 or not, I'll be just happy about how this year has been," Lopez said. "I'm not expecting anything. Right now, all expectation is to go out every day and just get a win."

Janson Junk (6-9, 4.50), Tuesday's Miami starter, is still seeking his first win against the Cubs — and Tuesday brings a rematch of the Sept. 4 meeting between these two starters. In three games (one start) versus Chicago, he is 0-1 with a 1.86 ERA across 9 2/3 innings. On Sept. 4, he allowed one run on three hits and a walk over five innings but took the loss as the Cubs won, 6-1.

— Reuters

Source: BusinessWorld Online