Alex Bregman’s Revitalized Season with the Chicago Cubs

In mid-May, as personal performance challenges mounted, Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman reached out to his manager, Craig Counsell, through a text message. In it, Bregman explained his struggles with decision-making about pitches. He realized that swinging while not feeling mechanically sound wasn’t productive. Bregman needed to fix his mechanics to improve his play.

Bregman stated, “Mechanically, it was really just disconnected and I knew it wasn’t right from Game 1 of the season. I had to figure out what it was.” His correspondence aimed to share insights on why adopting a more aggressive approach early in the count wasn’t the solution.

“It was very clear and it was very laid out and it made sense to me that this is how he’s going to get better and is going to fix it,” Counsell noted.

Results soon followed. By July, Bregman achieved a .263 batting average and .825 OPS, both season highs. From July 27 onward, he matched or led MLB statistics for hits (37) and RBIs (25), ranked second in slugging (.664) and home runs (9), and third in OPS (1.062) for that period.

Bregman reflected on this progress, saying, “The start of the year was super frustrating because I feel like, for me, personally, I don’t feel like this is a hot stretch. I feel like this is who I am as a baseball player. It was frustrating. But the way I looked at it was like, I’m going to figure out what’s going on, so I know for the next 10 years of my career.”

Bregman emphasized the importance of feeling in his swing, stating that relying on body movement cues was essential for him. This approach—used during his time in New Mexico, at LSU, and through his professional career—shaped his understanding of his swing mechanics.

His reflection on mechanics revealed, “I’ve always thought mechanics every single day in the box — most people don’t. It’s kind of different. I promise, I’ve done this. I’ve always thought mechanics and it’s not just me overcomplicating stuff.”

Despite the rough patches, Bregman remained dedicated to refining his swing mechanics, an unwavering commitment recognized by Counsell and his team. Counsell praised Bregman’s perseverance, remarking, “Alex was very consistent, really, in the way he talked about it. He was relentless in his work to get there. And that process, it’s a process of an incredibly dedicated professional.”

Bregman’s consistent dedication has underscored his resilience, making this season’s achievements a testament to his hard work and focus.