After the Cubs’ 2-1 loss to the Giants on June 7, Alex Bregman said out loud what a lot of Cubs fans were thinking.
“I’ve been terrible, and I need to play better.”
Bregman, who is in the first year of his five-year, $175 million contract with the Cubs, was having one of his worst starts to a season.
Through 65 games with the Northsiders, Bregman posted a .243 BA and .669 OPS while in the midst of a 1-for-24 stretch.
He had also struggled with runners in scoring position, batting just .173.
With Kyle Tucker leaving in free agency, the Cubs were looking for someone to match his production. Tucker slashed .278/.389/.510 with a .899 OPS through 65 games last year; Bregman had fallen well short of that mark.
But for the veteran third baseman, slow starts were nothing new.
In 2024, during his last year with the Astros, he slashed .219/.279/.374 through May with a .653 OPS but would finish the season with an OPS more than 100 points higher. Or consider 2022 — through May 31, he batted .226 with a .734 OPS, and later that season in August, he hit .362/.452/.681 with a 1.133 OPS.
As in previous seasons, Bregman eventually found his way out of the slump.
Bregman called himself out. He said he needed to play better; since then, he has slashed .267/.358/.524 with an .882 OPS—213 points higher than his .669 OPS through 65 games.
Since July 11, he leads all of MLB in RBIs, SLG, and wRC+.
Bregman completely flipped his season around. But how did he do it? It started with an adjustment at the plate.
In a recent interview with Ken Rosenthal, Bregman explained that one of the Cubs’ analysts, Ben Martin, identified a key flaw in his swing: When he loaded up, his lower body opened toward the pitcher, while his shoulders and chest remained closed, creating a separation between the two.
“We made that adjustment that day, and we’ve been trying to work on it every day since,” Bregman told Ken Rosenthal.
But for Bregman, his impact at the plate goes way beyond his own production. The 32-year-old is a pro’s pro. Every clubhouse he steps into, he has an almost infectious influence on his teammates, who constantly sing his praises.
This was evident during his time in Boston. Bregman was brought in as a veteran leader—Boston had missed the playoffs for three straight seasons and was filled with young guys: Kristian Campbell, Roman Anthony, and Marcelo Mayer.
“He’s been such a huge help to me,” Roman Anthony said.
It has been said many times before, from teammates and coaches alike, that when Alex Bregman walks in the clubhouse, it feels different. A newfound confidence fills the air, and Boston felt that immediately.
Now in Chicago, the Cubs have experienced much of the same, specifically PCA.
There has never been a lack of talent for the Cubs star. Every time you turn on the TV, there he is, making another incredible diving catch or stretching a double to a triple with his top-level speed. But still, he lacked consistent offense.
His approach was flawed, and he frequently chased pitches outside the strike zone, posting a 41.7% chase rate in 2025.
Recognizing this, when the Cubs signed the veteran, Crow-Armstrong said he was “ecstatic” to have him on the team.
“That is a guy that is going to, I think, have such a strong presence in the clubhouse and such a good impact on me,” Pete Crow-Armstrong said when talking about the addition of Bregman.
Bregman wanted the center fielder to revamp his approach by swinging less and focusing more on looking for his pitch.
Throughout the season, the two have worked through this process, and the results speak for themselves.
This season, PCA’s chase rate has dropped from 41.7% to 33.7%, his OBP has risen by over 80 points, from .287 to .375, and his walk rate has more than doubled, from 4.5% to 11.7%.
Bregman held himself accountable in front of the baseball world and answered his own call to play better, but his impact on the Cubs was never limited to his own production.
Just ask the sure-to-be 2026 NL MVP.