On the heels of a slow start to the season both offensively and defensively, Cubs infielder Nick Madrigal was recently optioned to Triple-A Iowa in a bit for more consistent playing time to work out his struggles, making his season debut on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old infielder got off to a hot start, starting the day 1-for-1 with a double and a walk, adding to a illustrious career .352 batting average at the Triple-A level.
Unfortunately for Madrigal, his day came to an end prematurely in his third plate appearance when he was struck by a 97 mile-per-hour fastball.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
It's unknown if Madrigal will miss any time, with the Cubs potentially taking a hit to their minor league infield depth in the event of any possible long-term absence, particularly with the recent promotion of veteran David Bote.
As for the big league club, the Chicago Cubs hope to complete a two-game sweep of their crosstown rival Chicago White Sox at Wrigley Field, with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. on NBC Sports Chicago.