Alex Bregman's Missed Hustle Highlights Slump Amid Cubs' Wild-Card Push

Alex Bregman signed a five-year, $175 million deal with the Chicago Cubs over the winter. June, his .239 average, six homers and .671 OPS placed him near the bottom of hitters, while the Cubs hovered in the NL wild-card race after a 6-1 road trip.

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On Sunday, with the Cubs trailing Brewers 1-0 and a runner on second, Bregman hit a grounder to shortstop Cooper Pratt, who bobbled but still threw Bregman out at first, leaving Pete Crow-Armstrong stranded at third; Chicago won 4-3 in ten innings.

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• June batting average .181, slugging .253; chase rate on pitches outside the zone 24 % (career-high).

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• Season average .239, six homers, .671 OPS; .163 with runners in scoring position.

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• Cubs recent record: 6-1 on road, 4-3 win over Brewers, 3-2 win over Padres.

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Bregman linked his lack of hustle to a history of injuries along the first-base line and said he is focusing on hitting the baseball, swinging at pitches he can drive and avoiding those outside the zone. Manager Craig Counsell confirmed Matt Shaw (sprained left hand) and Ethan Roberts (elbow inflammation) were placed on the injured list and said Shaw could return quickly.

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• “I've also had 10 soft tissue injuries running down the first-base line specifically,” — Alex Bregman, Third Baseman, Chicago Cubs

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• “Just being in a consistent spot to be able to hit the ball hard in the air and get back to swinging at pitches I want to hit and not swinging at pitches outside of the strike zone,” — Alex Bregman

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• “and take pitches that I can't and hone it in and be better.” — Alex Bregman

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• “I think there's a world where he's swinging a bat by the weekend,” — Craig Counsell, Cubs Manager

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Chicago recalled outfielder Kevin Alcantara and right-hander Gavin Hollowell from Triple-A Iowa; Hollowell pitched in relief versus San Diego. The Cubs begin a six-game homestand that includes a series against the St. Louis Cardinals, a wild-card rival.

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The reports detail Bregman’s statistics but do not explain the underlying cause of his slump, leaving an analytical gap.

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Bregman’s limited production hampers the Cubs’ run generation in a tight wild-card race, especially given his high-value contract and struggles with runners in scoring position.

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The Cubs host the St. Louis Cardinals later this week, a series that could shift the wild-card standings. The team hopes Matt Shaw’s inflammation clears quickly and that Bregman’s adjustments improve his offensive output.

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