It was on Wednesday when the Chicago Cubs punched their ticket to the 2025 MLB postseason, snapping a four-year postseason drought. Thus, they can now look forward to managing their players' health with the goal of entering the playoffs with all hands on deck. While the NL Central crown isn't mathematically out of reach, it is borderline impossible for them to make up the six-game deficit that they have against the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers.

However, what the Cubs can't plan for is freak accidents; on Thursday, in a 1-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, the Cubs faced a nervous moment when designated hitter Moises Ballesteros, who was at first base after he reached on an error, was struck on the helmet by a line drive from teammate Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Crow-Armstrong's line drive, after ricocheting off of Ballesteros' helmet, was fielded by the Reds in the outfield.Cincinnati promptly threw the designated hitter out at second base after he took some time to get moving after he was hit by a hard-hit ball that clocked in at an exit velocity of 105.0 miles per hour, according to Baseball Savant.

Ballesteros was clearly dazed after that unfortunate accident, and coaches quickly checked in on the 21-year-old slugger. But it doesn't seem as though the Cubs youngster suffered any lingering effects from that accident, as he even found it in himself to reenact what happened when he was on the dugout. And most importantly, Ballesteros did not have to exit the game, as he took another at-bat later on in the seventh.

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The Cubs youngster appears to have earned himself a spot in the everyday lineup, and it's clear that manager Craig Counsell trusts him considering that he's hitting cleanup for a playoff team. A freak accident that could have caused a head injury would have been disastrous, but it does look like the Cubs managed to avoid serious catastrophe.

Cubs have high hopes for Moises Ballesteros

Chicago Cubs designated hitter Moises Ballesteros (25) hits an RBI single against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at loanDepot Park.
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Ballesteros is only 21 years of age, so for him to able to reach the majors at this age is already a big feat in and of itself. He hasn't quite rounded out into a major power producer yet, as he hit just 19 home runs across two levels in the minors in 2025, but he has displayed advanced hitting tools that have him projected as a positive hitter in MLB at such a young age.

Could the 2025 MLB postseason provide a platform for Ballesteros to break out on a grander scale?