This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian’s Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
CHICAGO – Alex Bregman has been in an Opening Day lineup at third base in each of the past nine seasons. When he jogs out to the chalk line and hears his name announced on Thursday at Wrigley Field, he expects to feel the same nervousness that he felt as a rookie nearly a decade ago.
“Oh yeah, 100 percent,” Bregman said with a laugh on Tuesday in Arizona. “The Opening Day jitters? Oh yeah. I feel like when you lose that, it’s time to hang them up. For me, every Opening Day, there’s still good nerves, good excitement. Obviously, this being a new chapter, too, in my career, it’s going to be some good excitement and nerves as well.”
After eight Opening Days spent with the Astros and one with the Red Sox, the 31-year-old Bregman is beginning a new era on the North Side. Coming off a 92-win season and two rounds of October baseball, the Cubs brought in Bregman via a five-year, $175 million deal to help the ballclub take the next step forward.
Over the course of his career – one that includes 102 playoff games over nine years, two World Series rings, three All-Star appearances and one Gold Glove – Bregman has built a reputation as a leader and mentor. He wasted no time in diving into getting to know his new organization and teammates in Chicago, and made a strong impression right away this spring.
“He’s very serious about his craft,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “He’ll have a huge impact. The nice thing is we have a really veteran, diligent group, too. Already, we have a really serious group, and I think his presence … will be additive to all of our processes.”
Bregman spent a portion of Spring Training with Team USA during the World Baseball Classic, along with teammates Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matthew Boyd. In nine games with the Cubs during the spring, Bregman looked more than ready, hitting .524 (11-for-21) with a 1.869 OPS. He had eight extra-base hits, including four homers. That included one off of Yankees righty Gerrit Cole in Tuesday’s preseason finale.
And while Spring Training only really offers a snapshot, Bregman saw plenty that reinforced his decision to sign with the Cubs.
“To be honest, the work has exceeded expectations,” Bregman said. “It’s a cohesive group, super intelligent, and the work ethic’s been outstanding every single day from a preparation standpoint for the season. It’s been eye-opening and exciting to be a part of a group like that.
“You can definitely feel the hunger. You can definitely see the attention to detail and the focus, and there’s also a really good togetherness of the group, too, that is important in building a playoff team.”
That journey begins on Thursday with Bregman’s 10th Opening Day.
“We’ve got a lot of work in front of us,” he said. “The excitement’s at an all-time high for me. Obviously, my first year here with the Cubs, getting to experience Opening Day at Wrigley is going to be incredible.”