Alex Bregman’s first season with the Cubs has gone from disappointing to downright ugly, and now he’s handed fans another reason to turn on him.
Chicago’s 4-3 win over the Brewers in 10 innings should have been the kind of series victory that quiets some of the noise. Instead, Bregman kept the frustration front and center. He went 0-for-4, finished 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position, and even though he helped start the game-ending 5-4-3 double play, the night will be remembered for another weak outing at the plate and a sixth-inning play that lit up Cubs fans all over again.
The key moment came after Pete Crow-Armstrong walked against Brandon Woodruff and stole second with one out. Bregman rolled a slow grounder toward shortstop Cooper Pratt, who briefly lost the ball before recovering and throwing Bregman out at first by a full step.
The problem, for Cubs fans, wasn’t just the result. On replay, Bregman can be seen not running hard out of the box until he realizes the ball was bobbled - and by then, the chance was gone.
“Alex Bregman could have been safe after the Brewers bobbled the ball but he didn’t run out of the box hard pic.twitter.com/uJoLpPXcZ5
- Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) June 28, 2026”
Jim Deshaies called out the play, and it’s not hard to see why. Against a pitcher like Woodruff, the Cubs needed to squeeze every bit of value out of any mistake.
If Bregman gets out of the box with more urgency, the inning looks very different: runners on the corners, one out, and a real chance to create pressure. Instead, Chicago lost the opportunity, and the Brewers were able to turn to a left-handed reliever to face Michael Busch with two outs.
Bregman’s afternoon had already included a third-inning strikeout with two runners on, and the bigger picture is even harsher. He’s hitting .163 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 this season.
The overall numbers aren’t much kinder. His .335 slugging percentage sits ahead of only Brett Baty among everyday third basemen, and he has just six home runs in 82 games. For a player brought in as a major free-agent addition and praised for his leadership, that’s a brutal return.
And that’s the part fans tend not to forgive. Slumps happen.
This Cubs team has plenty of streaky bats. But lack of hustle, especially from a player who is already underperforming, is the kind of thing that sticks.
Cubs fans went through the same thing with Kyle Tucker last summer, when he faded badly in the second half and became public enemy number one.
Bregman is signed for five years. If he’s going to change the conversation, it needs to happen fast.
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