ST. PETERSBURG – Even without any postseason implications on the line on Sunday, Alex Bregman told Cubs manager Craig Counsell that he wanted to be in the starting lineup. The third baseman felt it was important for him to get more at-bats ahead of the playoffs.
“Alex really wants to play,” Counsell said prior to Sunday’s 6-2 win over the Red Sox.
And if there were any lingering questions about how Bregman was seeing the ball just a week removed from the fluke foul ball that resulted in multiple fractures in his left cheek, he offered an emphatic answer against the Red Sox. In only his second game back in the lineup, Bregman belted a pair of no-doubt homers in his first two at-bats at Tropicana Field.
Following two games on Friday at Fenway Park, where strong winds related to the Nor’easter hitting the region did a number on Chicago’s offense, the move to the neutral site gave the lineup a chance to hit reset. That was especially important for Bregman, who went 0-for-4 in his first game back in the opener of Friday’s twin bill.
Late Saturday night, Bregman went over video with Ben Martin, an assistant director of Major League development for the Cubs, at the team’s hotel. They found some issues with Bregman’s posture in his stance during Friday’s at-bats and went to work on correcting the issue. And on Sunday afternoon, Counsell received a text message from the third baseman.
“It just said, ‘LFG,’” Counsell said with a smirk. “I knew what it meant – I didn’t know what he was referring to. I thought he was referring to a football game or something like that. But he was like, ‘I found it and I’m ready. I feel good.’ And yeah, he did. He felt good. He was right.”
Bregman cracked a smile when asked about the text.
“[We were] trying to figure out what felt a little weird the first game back,” Bregman said. “I was kind of looking uphill and kind of [leaning] back. So I kind of got a little bit more into it, into a little bit more of an attacking posture today. It felt better.”
That is great news ahead of the upcoming National League Wild Card Series against the Padres.
“I’m not surprised that he’s performing when he’s back on the field,” Counsell said. “I’m surprised that he’s back on the field. Being back on the field is what I think we should all appreciate and admire.”
The only question right now is whether Counsell will put Bregman back at third base in the postseason, or keep him slotted in as the designated hitter for now. Bregman has been the DH in his first two games back in the fold, and Counsell hinted at staying in that mode as a way to minimize the risk of a setback.
Bregman took ground balls in a workout at Tropicana Field on Saturday’s off-day and will do so again during Monday’s workout at Petco Park in San Diego. Even so, Counsell is taking things day by day when it comes to weighing putting him back in the field.
“We’ll just kind of see how he feels every day,” Counsell said. “I think he’s improving every day, but he’s got multiple face fractures, and it’s been [a week]. So we’ll just see how he feels. One thing I’m thinking about is the risk of more exposure. I think his at-bats are the most important thing that we can get.”
Bregman said he is willing to do whatever Counsell asks of him.
“I want to play third, but I’ll do whatever it takes,” Bregman said.
Bregman went deep in the first and third inning – off a first-pitch sinker and then an 0-1 sweeper – and sent both pitches crashing into the left-field stands. Those were the 27th and 28th homers of the year for Bregman, who has been one of baseball’s best hitters in the second half. Entering the final game of the regular season, only Pete Crow-Armstrong (4.7), Fernando Tatis Jr. (3.7) and Elly De La Cruz (3.6) had a higher WAR (via FanGraphs) than Bregman (3.3) since the All-Star break.
Bregman added a single in the fifth inning, drew a walk in the seventh and added an RBI double in the ninth. When he reached base after those plate appearances, Bregman switched out one helmet (with an extended left earflap) for another that had a longer flap on each side to offer more protection.
“I felt like I was in a football helmet out there,” Bregman quipped.
Bregman was waiting on deck on Sept. 20 in Cincinnati when he was hit in the face by a foul ball off the bat of Michael Busch. Prior to that game, the Cubs’ third baseman had hit .298 with 19 homers, 18 doubles, 53 RBIs and a 1.000 OPS in his previous 60 games. His season OPS climbed to .801 from .670 in that span.
Beyond the homers, Bregman ended the year slashing .265/.355/.464 with 33 doubles, 76 walks, 92 runs scored, 93 RBIs and an .819 OPS in 155 games for the North Siders.
“The last two months of the season, I feel like that’s who I am as a player,” Bregman said. “I’m proud to know that no matter how big of a hole that I dug myself, I could find my way back out.”