The playoff picture is taking shape, but a few of October’s biggest names are still working their way back from injury, and the timing could matter a lot.
For the Cubs, the latest blow came in the strangest possible way. Third baseman Alex Bregman was hit in the face by a foul ball on Sunday after drifting out of the on-deck circle and into the path of a ball off the bat of teammate Michael Busch.
He was diagnosed with multiple facial fractures, though the Cubs did not place him on the injured list. Bregman even posted a photo on Instagram showing what happened immediately after the injury.
The loss stings because Bregman has been one of the hottest hitters in the league over the last two months. Since the start of August, he has been one of only five players with at least 15 homers, and his bat has been a major reason the Cubs are virtually assured of a postseason berth while still battling for the top wild-card spot in the NL.
There is at least a chance he’s back soon. The Cubs are heading into a crucial season-ending series against the Red Sox in Boston, and Bregman told reporters yesterday he planned to take the field this weekend.
He even said he hoped to get a pinch-hitting chance in last night’s game, though he ultimately didn’t play. With a nor’easter also bearing down on Boston, the Cubs are staring at a messy finish.
The Dodgers got a much-needed boost yesterday when Shohei Ohtani came off the injured list after missing the last two weeks with right biceps inflammation. He went back into his usual DH spot, then finished 1-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts in a 5-1 loss to the Padres.
Getting Ohtani back is one thing. Getting the version of Ohtani the Dodgers expected all along is another.
He has an .821 OPS since the beginning of July, a noticeable dip from the .954 mark he carried through the end of June and the 1.025 he posted in his first two seasons with the Dodgers. His offensive downturn started around the same time he was shut down from pitching because of the right biceps injury and a left knee issue.
The Yankees, meanwhile, already have the top wild-card spot in the AL locked up. The question now is when Aaron Judge will return. Judge missed more than three months earlier this season because of a stress fracture in one of his ribs, came back briefly, then strained a muscle in his calf on Sept. 16 and went back on the IL.
The team has kept the details of that latest injury close to the vest. Manager Aaron Boone declined to say what grade of strain Judge had been diagnosed with, though he did say Monday that the Yankees were not expecting him to play in the wild-card round.
Judge, though, said yesterday that he plans to play in the opening series, which starts Tuesday in the Bronx. Boone did not shut the door on the possibility that Judge could be cleared.
The roster release next week should answer the question.
Boston may have a weapon of its own waiting in the wings. Garrett Crochet, the 2025 Cy Young runner-up, has been out since late April with a shoulder injury, but he threw live batting practice for the first time on Tuesday and is expected to do it again this weekend.
If he makes it back, the Red Sox do not expect him to rejoin the rotation. They’d like him available as an extra bullpen arm, especially with a likely opening-round matchup against the Yankees and their lineup full of left-handed bats.
There were plenty of notable moments around the league last night, too. A young Orioles fan made an impressive catch on a home run.
Brett Baty delivered a pinch-hit grand slam for the Mets against the Rangers. Josh Naylor hit a walk-off single for the Mariners against the Astros, keeping Seattle barely alive in the AL West, four games behind Houston and Texas.
Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana made a diving hustle play to get the out at first. Cubs pitcher Kevin Gausman also made a diving effort to tag a runner trying to reach third, though he had to leave the game with a shoulder injury.
Elsewhere, Michael Penix Jr. is set to make his season debut for a Falcons team that scored just eight points in its first two games with Cooper Rush at quarterback. The Packers are trying to rebound from a sloppy start and win their home opener.
Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell, who spent six seasons on Coastal Carolina’s staff, will return to Brooks Stadium in the first meeting between those teams since 2020. And in the postseason race, Minnesota has already clinched the No. 1 seed, while Indiana can lock up a first-round matchup with Atlanta by winning; a loss could send the Fever into an opening series against defending champion Las Vegas.
In Other News...
Bret Bielema Calls Out What Illinois Defense Couldnt Handle At Ohio State
Illinois came away from Ohio State with a yardage total that usually keeps a team in the game, but the scoreboard told a different story. The Illini moved the ball for 462 total yards and still managed only 19 points, while the Buckeyes piled up 518 yards and six touchdowns in a matchup that exposed how thin the margin can be when one side finishes drives and the other does not.
Bret Bielema pointed his criticism squarely at the defense after the loss, citing communication issues, missed contain opportunities and a lack of pressure on Ohio States quarterback. Illinois had just one tackle for loss and did not create a turnover, numbers that underscore how little disruption the Illini were able to generate when the game started tilting away from them. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Opens With A Brutal Reminder Of Its Big Ten Reality
Illinois footballs season opener offers a familiar kind of stress test, with Ohio State waiting right away and the gap between the programs still as wide as ever. The Buckeyes have dominated the matchup in recent years, and the financial picture around the rivalry only sharpens the challenge, with Ohio States 2026 roster valued far above Illinois estimated range.
Illinois has made visible strides off the field, including Larry Gies $100 million donation and more than $20 million already spent on stadium visual upgrades. But the bigger issue is harder to dress up: the Illinis NIL spending remains near the bottom of the Big Ten, which makes the opening game feel less like a fresh start than a blunt reminder of where the program still has ground to make up. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Came Close On A Five-Star But The Chase Isn't Over
Illinois made a real push for Moussa Kamissoko before the five-star forward chose Syracuse, giving Gerry McNamara his first five-star commitment and adding another major name to the Oranges recruiting board. Kamissoko, ranked No. 14 nationally and No. 1 in Ohio, had taken a visit to Syracuse with other top prospects, and his decision was a reminder that the Illini are still operating in the same high-end recruiting lanes even when the final call goes another way.
For Illinois, the miss stings, but it does not change the larger picture around a program that keeps drawing interest from high-profile talent. The pursuit of Kamissoko showed the Illini were in the mix deep enough to make the race meaningful, and that matters as they continue chasing more elite recruits who can reshape the roster down the line. [Read more 🡒]