Game 162 didn’t mean much in the standings for the Cubs, but it still gave them exactly the kind of finish they wanted before the postseason begins.
After dropping a doubleheader to the Boston Red Sox on Friday, Chicago was already locked into a Wild Card series with the San Diego Padres. That left the club heading to Tampa Bay for a neutral-site finale with little left to settle. Even so, the Cubs got a strong closing note, and Alex Bregman was right at the center of it.
Bregman had been searching for rhythm since returning from a broken nose. He went 0-for-4 in his first game back, and the questions around his readiness for playoff baseball had started to build.
On Sunday, though, he looked fully dialed in. Bregman went 4-for-4 with two home runs and 4 RBI’s, giving the Cubs a performance they can carry into October.
Asked by Elise Menaker of Marquee Sports what sparked the turnaround, Bregman pointed to some late-night adjustments.
"We were looking at some stuff last night before the gam today to make an adjustment to get back to where we were before the break. It was a good day," Bregman told Menaker. "I wanted as many as I could get [at bats] just to try to get to feeling normal again in the box, and today was a really good day."
For a player already headed to the playoffs, that’s a pretty clear sign he wanted these final at-bats for more than just a box score. He used the day to work through the rough edges and, in the process, reminded everyone why the Cubs made the move for him in the first place.
There’s also a pretty inviting matchup waiting in Game 1 on Tuesday. Bregman has handled likely Padres starter Michael King extremely well, going 7-for-8 lifetime against him.
With the regular season now complete, the Cubs can look back at their 89 wins and 73 losses and move on. The bullpen issues, the late-season stumbles, all of it gets wiped clean once the playoffs start. Chicago doesn’t get home-field advantage against San Diego, but the path is simple now: get hot, start fast, and try to build on the momentum Bregman just created.
Last year, the Cubs beat San Diego and moved on to face the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Division Series. That’s the blueprint again, and Sunday gave them a strong first step.
In Other News...
Cubs Lineup Faces One Early Test That Could Swing Game 1
The Cubs will walk into Petco Park on Tuesday night with the postseason spotlight already centered on a familiar kind of problem: a right-hander who can make even a good lineup uncomfortable early. San Diego has confirmed Michael King as its Game 1 starter in the National League Wild Card Round, and that sets up an immediate test for a Chicago offense that will need to adjust quickly to the way he works the edges, changes eye levels and leans on a mix that can get hitters reaching.
For Chicago, the focus is less on the matchup label than on the specific pitch shapes it will see and how quickly the lineup can sort them out. Kings sinker and change-up are the pitches that matter most here, and the Cubs best chance to take control of the series opener may come down to which hitters can stay disciplined enough to force him into the zone. If they can do that early, Game 1 starts to look very different. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Still Don't Know If Their Deadline Ace Can Start Game 1
Kevin Gausman took another step on the mound before the Cubs faced the Red Sox, throwing a bullpen session as the club continues to sort through its Wild Card pitching plans. The shoulder issue he picked up last week has left his status unsettled, and for a team headed into October, that kind of uncertainty is enough to keep every start in the rotation under review.
The Cubs are expected to make a call soon on whether Gausman will even be on the Wild Card roster, much less available to start Game 1 or Game 2. If he cannot go, Chicago has alternatives to weigh, with Matthew Boyd among the leading possibilities and other arms such as Imanaga, Braxton Garrett, Clay Holmes and David Peterson all part of the discussion as the playoff picture comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Alex Bregman Suddenly Looms Large In Cubs Wild Card Opener
The Cubs now know they will see Michael King in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series at Petco Park, giving Chicago an early look at one of San Diegos most effective arms. King closed the season with a 3.21 ERA and was especially sharp after July, the kind of starter who can make a short series feel even shorter if the opposing lineup doesnt find answers quickly.
For Chicago, Alex Bregman is one of the names that can change that script. Fresh off a return from facial fractures, he brings both postseason experience and a strong track record against King, and he has been among the games best hitters since the All-Star break. In a matchup that already figures to be tight, Bregmans presence gives the Cubs a veteran bat with the kind of history that can tilt a big October night. [Read more 🡒]