Alex Bregman’s rough first half for the 2026 Chicago Cubs just found a new low, and this one had nothing to do with a swing and everything to do with effort.
The Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in 10 innings on Sunday to take the series finale, but Bregman once again left fans with plenty to grumble about. He finished 0-for-4, went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position, and added a sixth-inning groundout that turned into the kind of play Cubs fans won’t forget anytime soon.
After Pete Crow-Armstrong drew a walk against Brandon Woodruff and then stole second with one out, Bregman rolled a slow chopper to Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt. Pratt bobbled the ball before recovering and throwing Bregman out at first by a full step. The problem for Cubs fans was what came before the throw: on the replay, Bregman can be seen not going all out until he realizes there was a bobble, and by then the chance to beat it out was gone.
That sequence mattered because a little more urgency would have changed the whole inning. Instead of an out, the Cubs could have had runners on the corners with one out. Instead, Bregman was retired, the Brewers turned to a left-handed reliever for Michael Busch with two outs, and Chicago’s threat was gone.
Jim Deshaies called out the play, and it’s not hard to see why. Against a pitcher like Woodruff, the Cubs needed every break they could get, and Bregman let one slip away.
The frustrating part for Chicago is that this wasn’t an isolated cold night. In the third inning, Bregman came up with two runners on and struck out.
He’s now hitting .163 this season with runners in scoring position, going 15-for-92 in those situations. Among 179 qualified hitters, his 34 wRC+ ranks fourth-worst in MLB with runners in scoring position.
The overall numbers aren’t much prettier. Bregman’s .335 slugging percentage is only better than Brett Baty among everyday third basemen, and he has just six home runs in 82 games.
That’s why the hustle play hit such a nerve. Slumps happen.
This Cubs team has its share of streaky hitters. But fans have little patience for a player who isn’t running hard when he’s already struggling to produce, especially one brought in as the big free-agent signing and praised for his leadership.
The comparison to Kyle Tucker from last summer is hard to miss. Tucker fell apart in the second half and quickly became public enemy No. 1 with Cubs fans. Bregman is signed for five years, and if he’s going to avoid that same fate, he needs to turn this around fast.
In Other News...
Celtics May Finally Have A Real Answer To Their Frontcourt Problem
Bostons frontcourt needs have been obvious enough that any big man who can stretch the floor and handle minutes at both the four and the five is going to draw attention. Sandro Mamukelashvili fits that mold, and after a season in which he averaged 11.2 points and 4.9 rebounds, he is shaping up as one of the more interesting names Boston could monitor if the market opens up the way many around the league expect.
The Celtics are already weighing a range of options to bolster that part of the roster, and Mamukelashvili would give them a different kind of answer than the traditional rim protector search that usually comes with these conversations. He is also the sort of player who could attract multiple bidders, especially if his next deal lands in the range of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is why Bostons interest may end up being only one piece of a much busier frontcourt picture. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics May Have A Real Opening To Fix Their Biggest Need
The Celtics have spent plenty of time looking for a cleaner answer at power forward, and a new report suggests that answer could come from an unexpected place. NBA insider Michael Scotto reported that Denver may be open to a notable roster reset, and that has put a pair of Nuggets forwards on Bostons radar as the front office continues to scan for help on the wing and in the frontcourt.
Cam Johnson stands out because of his expiring deal and the value he has shown with career-best production from the field and beyond the arc. Aaron Gordon brings a different kind of appeal, since he could give Boston the sturdier power forward option it has lacked and allow Jayson Tatum to slide back into small forward, which is why multiple teams have shown interest in both players. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Fans Wont Love The Latest Jaylen Brown Trade Twist
The Celtics search for frontcourt help has taken another familiar turn, and it still traces back to the broader questions surrounding Jaylen Brown. Boston has shown interest in Naz Reid as a possible piece to strengthen the front line, which fits with the teams push to find more size and flexibility around its core. Reid had even come up in trade conversations before his move to Charlotte, a reminder that the Celtics have been casting a wide net as they look for ways to rework the roster.
For now, though, the path appears unclear. Charlotte seems more inclined to hold onto Reid than move him, which leaves Boston waiting on a target that does not look easily available. So the Celtics keep searching for alternative ways to improve their frontcourt, while the larger Brown trade landscape remains one of the biggest variables shaping what comes next. [Read more 🡒]