Alex Bregman dedicated time to refining his swing by analyzing videos in his hotel room until the early hours of Tuesday. Ben Martin, the Chicago Cubs assistant director of major-league development, supported Bregman by reviewing KinaTrax data. This data detailed how Bregman’s body is organized biometrically during the initial phase of his swing. Martin also displayed old footage from Bregman’s 2016 season at Double-A Corpus Christi to demonstrate the ideal mechanics Bregman aims to achieve.
“We noticed significant differences and revisited the video to confirm our observations,” Bregman stated. “I woke up thinking about the adjustments, then came straight to the cage to focus on implementing what we discussed.”
The changes in Bregman’s shoulder and hip alignment have contributed significantly to his recent performance. During Tuesday’s game against the Washington Nationals, Bregman hit a home run. On Wednesday, he improved further by hitting three home runs and tallying seven RBIs, marking a career-high and helping the Cubs secure a 12-6 win.
“The past month showed promising improvements, but the last two days have been particularly positive,” Bregman noted. “On occasion, success felt different on following days, indicating previous cues might not be quite right.”
The Cubs joined a rare group by having two players achieve three-home-run, seven-RBI games in a season, joining historical teams like the 1995 New York Yankees.
“The 162 games test every player, revealing the need for consistent, daily performance,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Alex shows relentless commitment to finding his best self every day.”
Following this win, the Cubs boast a 71-50 record, leading Major League Baseball with 17 games of scoring 10 or more runs and maintaining a high average of 7.1 runs over their last nine games. Left-hander David Peterson delivered a solid performance, managing four runs in five innings against the Nationals. Counsell remarked on the team’s effectiveness in scoring with two outs, with their four runs Wednesday contributing to an MLB-leading 241 in two-out situations. More than half of their August runs have arisen in such situations, showcasing a strong on-base presence and performance in critical moments.
Dansby Swanson, who doubled and hit his 18th home run, credited the team’s preparation and collective effort. “We have experienced players who take strategic at-bats for the team’s benefit. Nine players acting this way exhibits tough competitiveness.”
The Cubs, especially potent against left-handed pitchers, posed a challenge for Nationals debutant Jackson Kent. Leading the league in metrics against lefties, the Cubs pressured Kent, drawing five walks in just over four innings. Despite striking out Pete Crow-Armstrong twice, Kent conceded a game-tying RBI double to him later. They further pressured reliever Tom Cosgrove, scoring additional runs.
“Our approach doesn’t vary much,” Counsell explained. “Some players excel against left-handed pitching. Pete and Michael Busch show exceptional performance in this regard. With Pete leading the lineup and performing at his best, it brings significant advantages.”
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