The Cubs won the Alex Bregman sweepstakes — but so far it’s been nothing but a $175 million bust.
Bregman departed the Red Sox for Chicago after one solid season, despite pleas from the fan base, but he’s having the worst season of his career with the bat.
“I’ve been terrible,” Bregman said after going 0-for-5 in a 2-1 extra innings loss to the hapless Giants. “I need to play better. Offensively, it’s been awful. I’ve failed many times in this game. I’ve struggled. I’ve started slow before. I’ve started fast before. When you’re struggling, there is only one way forward, and that’s straight, head-on through it. It comes down to executing in the game.”
Despite Bregman’s issues, the Cubs were off to a 29-16 now start — but now are 5-16 in their last 21 games and have dropped to fourth in the NL Central.
Bregman has a .669 OPS, by far a career worst, and his five home runs and 19 RBIs in 65 games are worse than many of the even most light-hitting starters, including beleagured Mets second baseman Marcus Semien (eight HR, 25 RBI) and Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon (six HR, 20 RBI).
Bregman has been solid with the glove, still coming in at seventh in defensive runs saved among all third basemen.
“I haven’t executed all year,” Bregman said. “Runners in scoring position, I’ve been god-awful. I need to be better. If I’m better over the last how many games, we probably win the majority of them.”
One of the toughest moments of his season occurred on Sunday night. Bregman came to the dish in the eighth inning with runners on the corners and no one out in a 1-1 game.
Bregman was first-pitch swinging against left-hander Erik Miller, which resulted in a softly hit linedrive double play to run them out of the inning.
Bregman now leads all of baseball with 143 runners left on base this season.
