Alex Bregman was publicly pushed for not hustling hard enough on a routine grounder during Sunday’s game in Milwaukee, a moment that landed as Cubs fans grow increasingly frustrated with the offense. Asked Monday about the play, Bregman acknowledged he wishes
When Alex Bregman didn’t run hard enough down the first-base line on a seemingly routine ground out Sunday in Milwaukee, it wasn’t just a mistake. It turned into a base-running chance on a day when runs were scarce against an effective Brewers pitching staff.
Bregman, far from busting it, was thrown out—an outcome that only sharpened the frustration many Cubs fans already feel about a lack of offensive output from their highest-profile offseason investment.
The play even earned an admonishment from Cubs announcer Jim Deshaies, adding to the moment’s sting.
Asked Monday if he regretted not running harder, Bregman didn’t dodge the criticism. “Yes,” the third baseman said. “And I’ve also had 10 soft-tissue injuries running down the first-base line. specifically.” He then offered a fuller picture of how he sees the tradeoff: “There’s kind of some give and take. But at the same time, obviously, I wish I beat the throw.”.
He spoke in the language of a player who knows his body and the danger of pushing too far. That balance, he suggested, is the difference between making a sprint count and risking injury.
Sunday’s play was a bad look anyway. especially for a $175 million player who has been slow to show—statistically—why the Cubs made him their big-ticket free agent signing last winter. Bregman is known in the clubhouse as among the hardest workers around, a reputation he’s built through consistent preparation. But results have not matched the expectation.
Entering Monday, Bregman was still searching for the production the contract promises. His .335 slugging percentage ranked in the bottom 15 of qualified hitters in baseball, and his .671 OPS would be the lowest of his career by a wide margin. The previous low-water mark was .768 two seasons ago.
The numbers in June have been especially hard to swallow: a .181 batting average and a .253 slugging percentage. For a hitter trying to regain authority at the plate, the frustration from fans is easy to understand—when the offense isn’t clicking, every miscue feels heavier.
Pressed about what he’s working on to fix it, Bregman acknowledged the obvious. “What’s your guess?” he responded jokingly, before saying more directly what he wants to change. “Hitting the baseball.”
When asked to get specific. he said the core goal is power—by staying in a consistent position to drive the ball. “Just being in a consistent spot to be able to hit the ball hard in the air,” he said. He also pointed to decision-making at the plate: “Get back to swinging at pitches that I want to hit and not swinging at pitches that are outside the strike zone.”.
His plan sounded straightforward because it is: hit the ball, swing at what can be driven, and take what can’t. “Basically the same stuff. Hit the ball, swing at pitches I can drive and take pitches that I can’t. Hone it in, be better.”
“Be better” is exactly what the Cubs are waiting to hear—and for a player at this price, fans don’t need more talk. They need the slugging to show up.
The stakes aren’t just personal for Bregman. The Cubs expect the kind of offensive lift that changes games. and they’ve got reasons beyond pride to want it fast. Their offense has revived from an early-summer slumber. but it could use another jolt at a time when an injury-ravaged pitching staff needs help.
Jed Hoyer, the Cubs team president, tried to cool the pressure last week in New York by leaning on Bregman’s work ethic. “He works and works and works,” Hoyer said. “No one’s going to outwork him to figure out what it is [that’s wrong].”
Hoyer also pointed to how similar struggles can flip suddenly, referencing Dansby Swanson. “I was getting peppered with questions on the radio the other day about Dansby and his struggles. All of a sudden — ‘snap’ — he breaks out of it. That’s how it happens.”
“My expectation is at some point. [Alex] will get red hot. and these questions will be a distant memory. ” Hoyer said. “In the meantime. he’s trying to get on base. he’s getting some hits. but the slug just hasn’t been there. It’s kind of always been there for him. and I’m sure it’s a matter of time before we see that.”.
The frustration around Bregman is sharpened by the contrast between his preparation and what’s landing at the plate. His teammates and the front office can point to the work. Fans watching every at-bat can only count what happens.
And with injuries continuing to pile up, the margin for more quiet stretches gets smaller.
Ahead of Monday’s game, the Cubs sent Shaw and righty reliever Ethan Roberts to the injured list, further testing the team’s depth.
Until the offense catches fire the way Hoyer expects, Bregman—like the rest of the Cubs’ spotlighted core—will remain under the microscope of fans who want him to play up to the contract that fueled the offseason excitement.
Alex Bregman Cubs Milwaukee Brewers Jed Hoyer Jim Deshaies injured list MLB offense slugging percentage