Alex Bregman’s return has been a boost for the Cubs, but it’s also putting Craig Counsell in a tough spot as the Wild Card series shifts into Game 2.
Bregman is back in action less than two weeks after taking a foul ball to the face and suffering multiple facial fractures, which by itself is remarkable. The catch is that he’s not operating with full freedom yet, and that’s changing how Counsell can piece together the lineup.
When Bregman is in there, Chicago is better. But if he’s limited to designated hitter duty, the rest of the puzzle gets tighter.
That’s exactly what happened in Game 1 against the San Diego Padres, when Bregman served as the Cubs’ DH in a loss. The issue is less about his bat than where he can safely play.
At third base, Bregman is one of the best defenders in baseball when he’s healthy. Right now, though, the facial fractures make keeping him at DH the safer route because it reduces the risk of another injury.
But that choice has ripple effects.
With Bregman locked into the DH spot, Pedro Ramirez is the one manning third base. Ramirez has been one of the more encouraging developments for the Cubs this season, and he’s had offensive success overall.
Against right-handed pitching, though, the numbers have been shaky. He’s hitting .237/.298/.364 with a wRC+ of 82 against righties this season.
Counsell doesn’t have a clean fallback either. Matt Shaw has also struggled against right-handed pitchers, putting up a wRC+ of 79 in 90 plate appearances this season. So if Bregman can’t handle third, the Cubs are left choosing between options that haven’t produced much against the type of pitching they’re about to see again.
There’s another domino, too: Michael Conforto has been pushed to the bench.
Conforto has almost exclusively faced right-handed pitching this season. He has 302 plate appearances against righties and only 11 against southpaws.
In those 302 trips, he posted a 113 wRC+ and hit 29 extra-base hits. That profile makes him the kind of veteran bat you’d normally expect to see in a game like this, especially with the Cubs preparing to face the right-handed Nick Pivetta in Game 2.
Maybe Conforto wouldn’t have changed Game 1, which got away from Chicago quickly. But if Counsell is looking for a different look in Game 2, getting Conforto into the lineup would seem like the obvious move.
The problem is that move may depend on whether Counsell is willing to trust Bregman at third base. Bregman took reps there on Monday and said he would be able to play the field if asked. With the season on the line, that may be the moment for Counsell to push past the caution and let Bregman back where he usually changes games the most.
In Other News...
Manny Machado Just Added More Heat To Cubs Padres Rivalry
The Cubs postseason matchup with the Padres was already carrying plenty of edge, and Manny Machado managed to add a little more before the first pitch. During a press conference ahead of the Wild Card series, the San Diego third baseman drew attention for a sharp response to reporter Karthik Venkataraman after being asked about the reporters attire, a moment that quickly went viral and gave an already tense series another talking point.
Chicagos side of the bracket does not need much more fuel, but this kind of pregame flashpoint tends to linger once October baseball starts. With Game 1 set for Tuesday night in San Diego, the Cubs now head into a best-of-3 series with a little extra noise surrounding one of the Padres most recognizable players, and little doubt that every early exchange will be watched closely. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Just Learned The Pitching Test Waiting In Game 2
The Cubs now know the pitching challenge waiting in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series, and it comes in the form of Nick Pivetta. San Diego has officially lined up the right-hander for the second game against Chicago, a sign the Padres are comfortable handing a big spot to a pitcher who only recently returned after nearly five months away with an elbow injury.
Pivettas recent starts have gone well enough to earn that trust, which raises the degree of difficulty for a Cubs lineup that already has to navigate October pressure on the road. And if the series pushes to a decisive Game 3, Chicago would likely see another familiar name on the mound in Walker Buehler, giving the Cubs a clear sense that San Diegos pitching plan is built to make every game feel like a different kind of test. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Just Gave The Cubs A Wild-Card Twist To Worry About
The wild-card picture for the Cubs got a little clearer, and a little more complicated, when San Diego unveiled its 26-man roster for the series. The Padres are carrying 15 position players and 11 pitchers, and the group looks built for a short, tactical matchup with enough catching depth to give them options behind the plate. For Chicago, the roster read was a reminder that October baseball often turns on the smallest personnel decisions.
The most notable development is Joe Musgroves return to the postseason roster after missing the 2025 season following Tommy John surgery. He last pitched in the 2024 wild-card series, and his presence adds another experienced arm to a Padres staff that also made a few eye-catching calls at the margins, including keeping Andujar and Sheets while leaving Sung-Mun Song, Wandy Peralta and Randy Vasquez off the list. For the Cubs, the challenge now is figuring out how San Diego intends to deploy all of those pieces once the series gets moving. [Read more 🡒]