Alex Bregman’s first season with the Chicago Cubs had its rough patches, but the latest news gives the front office’s big swing a fresh layer of validation.
Bregman was named a finalist for the Louisville Silver Slugger Award among National League third basemen, a nod that underscores how strong his season finished after an uneven start. For a player who opened his Cubs tenure in a prolonged offensive slump and drew plenty of heat from fans along the way, the recognition is a clear reminder that the finish mattered.
The 32-year-old ended the year with a .265/.355/.464 slash line and 28 home runs. That homer total was the third-highest of his career, and his 128 wRC+ marked his best since 2022. For much of the season, Max Muncy looked like the favorite at the position, but Bregman’s late surge has turned the race into something much tighter.
Chicago’s pursuit of Bregman has been a central thread for the last two years. In 2025, the Cubs made a run at him in free agency but came up short with a capped offer, leaving them unable to beat the Boston Red Sox. They corrected that last offseason, taking advantage of Boston’s hesitation and landing him on a five-year, $175 million deal.
The Cubs had already made clear they believed Bregman’s skill set was missing from the roster, and the way his year unfolded only reinforced that view. Now the focus shifts to 2027, when his role could loom even larger in a lineup that is expected to be without Seiya Suzuki and likely Ian Happ as well. There’s also the possibility that Pete Crow-Armstrong’s production from this season won’t carry over at the same level.
That makes Bregman’s late-season version especially important. Since the All-Star break, he hit 19 home runs and posted a 176 wRC+. If that version shows up over a full season, the Cubs have every reason to think their offense can avoid a major drop-off next year.
In Other News...
Cubs Suddenly Have More Pressure To Chase This Pitching Target
Kaima Taira is suddenly on the board, and that matters for a Cubs team still looking for more certainty in the rotation. ESPNs projection of a five-year, $72.5 million deal gives a sense of the market for the Japanese left-hander, who was cleared to negotiate with MLB clubs after leading NPB in ERA and ERA+ last season. For a Chicago team with both a need for starting pitching and the financial room to make a real bid, the fit is obvious.
The timing adds another layer of pressure. Because the NPB and MLB agreed to a modified posting window this offseason due to a pending lockout, teams have only 30 days to get a deal done, which compresses the process and rewards clubs ready to move quickly. The Cubs are viewed as a potential suitor, and if they want to stay in the conversation, they may need to act before the market tightens and the competition gets even more serious. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs May Finally Have A Real Shot At Freddy Peralta
Freddy Peraltas market is already drawing attention as the right-hander heads toward free agency, and the Cubs make a lot of sense as a team to watch. Chicago has been looking for more dependable starting pitching, and Peralta fits the kind of arm that can change the shape of a rotation if the price and term line up.
What makes him especially intriguing is the way his game has evolved, with his recent success giving clubs reason to believe there is still another level to tap into. The fit is obvious enough that speculation has already started to build around where he could land, but the real question for the Cubs is whether they are willing to move quickly enough to turn interest into a serious pursuit. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Silver Slugger Buzz Just Exposed Jed Hoyers Bigger Offseason Risk
The Cubs offensive core is still drawing national recognition, with FanSideds Silver Slugger finalists list putting Chicago in the mix through Alex Bregman, Seiya Suzuki and Pete Crow-Armstrong. It is another reminder that this lineup did plenty of damage in 2026, even as Jed Hoyer has made it clear the front office intends to spend the winter trying to shore up the pitching staff.
The catch is that the bats Chicago is counting on now may not all be there for long. As the Cubs look ahead to 2027, the bigger risk may not be whether the offense stays productive, but whether Hoyer can keep enough of it intact while also addressing the mound. The club already has a looming list of offensive questions, and the more attention the lineup gets for awards, the more obvious it becomes that replacing that production could be just as urgent as fixing the rotation. [Read more 🡒]