Why Alex Bregman believes he’s finally found the recipe for consistent success

WASHINGTON — Alex Bregman has not stopped searching for answers. The veteran third baseman isn’t one to shy away from digging into video. He’s often staring at a screen, watching his movements in the cage or an old game, trying to figure out what’s right and what needs to be fixed.

On Monday night while in his hotel room in the nation’s capital, the work continued with Cubs assistant director of MLB development Ben Martin. And perhaps a breakthrough was made.

“Ben pulled up the KinaTrax data showing how my body is actually organized over the year when I load,” Bregman recently said. “We saw some pretty glaring differences, and we searched back to double-check it on video to watch that. Woke up in the morning thinking about it. Got here and went right to the cage trying to think about the same things we talked about. It’s been good.”

“Good” may be an understatement. Tuesday, Bregman went 2-for-4 with a home run. Then Wednesday, he had his first real Cubs moment, slugging three home runs and driving in seven runs.

Bregman had been on a bit of a run before those two games. He hit two home runs in the two games leading into the All-Star break. Going back further, he’s had a 159 wRC+ since June 29. But the start of the series against the Washington Nationals felt different.

Feeling right is one thing, but seeing the results on the field tells Bregman that this might be the fix he’s been looking for.

“That’s the most important thing, right?” Bregman said about the results. “I’ve had days where it’s gone all right and had a few extra-base hits, then the next day you wake up and get to the ballpark and it feels completely different. Maybe that cue wasn’t the one that was actually correct.”

What exactly was this cue? Martin had been looking at how Bregman’s body was moving and how his swing worked. The two dug through video, searching for answers.

“We really went through the archives for this, way back in the day,” Bregman said. “Looked at all the changes to how I’ve loaded throughout my career. We were watching Corpus Christi Double-A video two nights ago in my room at 1 o’clock.”

They finally found something that seemed to click. Bregman came in Tuesday and made adjustments that made him feel “more in sync.” He hasn’t looked back.

“My shoulders have been closed and my hips have been open all year,” Bregman said. “I lined them up and keep them in the same direction. Felt like I could finally cover in again.”

As recently as June 7, Bregman looked lost. Many were questioning whether he still had anything left on offense. Some were already deeming the five-year, $175 million deal the Cubs gave him a mistake. But Bregman, who has a long history of success, was clear that doubt never entered his mind during his early-season struggles.

“No, I knew,” Bregman said. “Just gotta keep going. Gotta figure out what’s going on and address it. Feel like that last month or so have been a step in the right direction. But really, the last two days have been a real step in the right direction.”

It was only two games, but Bregman believes he’s found the consistent mechanics he’s been searching for. This is the type of performance Bregman expects from himself. And it’s what the Cubs were hoping to get when they made him the centerpiece of their offseason, luring him to a team with championship aspirations.

© 2026 The Athletic Media Company. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by New York Times Licensing.