Chicago Cubs Make Sudden Alex Bregman Announcement Before Red Sox Series

Getty

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 22: Alex Bregman #3 of the Chicago Cubs looks on during the fourth inning from the dugout after being hit with a foul ball earlier this week at Wrigley Field on September 22, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Isaac Wasserman/Getty Images)

The Chicago Cubs will wrap up their regular season over the next few days as they begin a three-game set with the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

They’ll play a doubleheader on Friday due to the weather coming to the East Coast, and ahead of their afternoon matchup, scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET, the Cubs made a sudden announcement regarding veteran Alex Bregman’s status after he missed the last three games.

Make Sudden Bregman Announcement

Last weekend, the star infielder fouled a ball that ultimately hit him in the face, leading to a facial fracture, obvious swelling, and a pretty gruesome black eye.

Yet, somehow, after just a three-game absence, Bregman will return to the starting lineup on Friday afternoon.

He’ll serve as the team’s designated hitter and bat third in the order behind Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki.

Here’s the full Cubs lineup:

Via Underdog MLB: “Cubs Game 1 9/25 P. Crow-Armstrong CF S. Suzuki RF A. Bregman DH T. Taylor LF N. Hoerner 2B M. Shaw 3B M. Busch 1B D. Swanson SS M. Amaya C C. Holmes SP.”

Cubs Game 1 9/25

P. Crow-Armstrong CF
S. Suzuki RF
A. Bregman DH
T. Taylor LF
N. Hoerner 2B
M. Shaw 3B
M. Busch 1B
D. Swanson SS
M. Amaya C

C. Holmes SP

— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) September 25, 2026

Bregman Will Wear Extra Protective Batting Helmet

Red Sox insider Ari Alexander of 7 News went into the dugout pregame before Bregman returned to the lineup and revealed that he’ll wear an extra protective batting helmet.

It’ll have two protective C-flaps to protect his face. Usually, players will only have one. This way, he can try to shield the area of the fracture.

Alex Bregman’s helmet has double C Flaps to protect the face pic.twitter.com/oz8N5xIG2e

— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) September 25, 2026

Bregman’s 2026 Season

It would’ve been a shame to see Bregman miss a substantial amount of time after the year he’s had with the Cubs in his first season in Chicago.

He enters Friday hitting .262 across 153 games and has recorded 89 runs, 157 hits, 26 home runs, and 89 RBIs while slugging .452 with an .804 OPS.