Alex Bregman is quietly having the worst year of his career in his first season in Chicago.
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 12: Alex Bregman #3 of the Chicago Cubs reacts as he rounds third base after hitting a solo homer in the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on May 12, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Chicago Cubs have had a great start to the year. Unfortunately, their star signing of the offseason, Alex Bregman, can’t say the same.
Bregman, 32, was inked this past offseason to a mega-contract by Chicago. The Cubbies dished out a five-year, $175 million deal to retain the All-Star’s services. The hope was that Bregman would be Chi-Town’s missing piece.
In 2025, the Cubs’ offense was relentless. As a team, they ranked first in OPS+, fifth in runs scored, fourth in RBI, and sixth in home runs. Bregman was supposed to be the bow on top of a present that was ready to go under the World Series tree.
Instead, he’s turned into a roadblock. Through the right-hander’s first 200 at-bats (not a small sample size), he holds an OPS of .688 and has only hit four home runs. Basically league-average production. If this were the Cubs’ eighth-place hitter, it’d be acceptable. Rather, it’s their supposed run-producer.
Bregman’s slow start hasn’t gone unnoticed around Major League Baseball.
Peter Appel of Just Baseball Media spoke on the slumbering superstar.
“The guy that you brought in to hit third in the lineup has been really, really struggling,” said Appel. “There is a big lack of impact, and I did say, now I’m not ready to pat myself on the back for this take, and I think other people had it as well, [but] I was slightly nervous about Bregman and the fit in Chicago. Just because when you look at Baseball Savant’s park factor, right-handed hitters suffer at Wrigley as much as any park in baseball. Now everyone thinks about Wrigley and the wind flying out, right? More often than not, if you pay attention to game by game at Wrigley, more of the time the wind is blowing IN!”
Alex Bregman is quietly having the worst year of his career in his first season in Chicago.
Appel isn’t the only one taking notice of Bregman’s early-season slump.
Here’s what people are saying:
Randy Lesson: “Craig needs to drop Bregman down in the lineup. Nearing June, and Alex has been a major disappointment at the plate.”
Prehension Athletics: “Alex Bregman has a career-worst .685 OPS and has hit just 4 HR’s in his first 193 at-bats as a Cub….He hit 4 HR’s in 41 AB’s and had a .932 OPS during the 2023 postseason as an Astro….Alex used the muscles of motor tract 1 on his right side back then….He’s used the muscles of motor tract 5 on his right side on every swing as a Cub….Notice the difference in the spacing between his arms just after contact.”
Owen Brown: “Alex Bregman isn’t off to the best start with the Cubs to begin a five-year, $175 million contract. In 48 games, he is slashing .249/.333/.686, equivalent to a 101 OPS+. The Cubs are certainly winning as a team, and he has plenty of time to turn things around, but I wonder if this is what Breslow was thinking would happen with his output.”
Even without Bregman and a slow start from 2025 sensation Michael Busch, the Cubs are well above .500.
Currently sitting at 29-23, Chicago trails the rival Cardinals by one game and the first-place Brewers by two.
It’s fair to assume that when Bregman gets hot, the rest of the Cubbies lineup would follow. It’s go time for the newest Baby Bear.
AJ Stone AJ Stone is a baseball writer for Heavy, covering MLB news and various trends. His work has also appeared on Redbird Rants, Inside Halos, District on Deck, and other digital outlets. With a focus on analytics, he aims to blend data with storytelling for an engaging experience for his readers. More about AJ Stone
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