Alex Bregman Injury: Impact on Cubs, NL Playoff Race

The Cubs would have the top wild card spot if the regular season ended today. They begin a three-game series on Tuesday night against the Miami Marlins, while the San Diego Padres face the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies face the Milwaukee Brewers.

By strength of schedule, the Cubs have the easiest week of the three teams in wild card spots. But without Bregman, things could get a little bit more difficult. They'll face Bregman's former team, the Boston Red Sox over the weekend.

This could potentially hurt their chances of securing the top wild card spot and knock them down a bit in the standings, creating room for Philadelphia and San Diego to climb to the top. And if the Cubs are without Bregman at all in the postseason, then they will have tougher time getting out of the wild card round, as they could find themselves playing one of the other two wild card teams, or possibly even the Atlanta Braves.

The Cubs lost the NLDS last year to the Milwaukee Brewers, and they'll hope to make a deeper run this October, but any time without Bregman will make that task all the more difficult.

Bregman could be back in time for the postseason, so that could give the Cubs a better chance, but the timing of the injury certainly isn't good, especially with Chicago still trying to secure their wild card berth now that Milwaukee has already won the National League Central. It's going to be difficult to stay hot if he ends up landing on the injured list.

It will be interesting to see how he recovers and if he will be able to recover in time to help the Cubs in the playoffs.