The Chicago Cubs have made significant strides this offseason to mold their roster into a playoff-caliber team that can hopefully end their postseason drought.
The Cubs recently made another blockbuster trade this season to net them a lockdown closer in the form of 2x All-Star Ryan Pressly.
The Cubs added depth to their bench by signing veteran utility man Jon Berti to a one-year deal. Berti will be important for the Cubs at the beginning of the season if second baseman Nico Hoerner, who underwent offseason surgery, and possibly not being able to go for Opening Day.
The Cubs still could add another bat to their lineup, and they’ve continually stayed ‘in the mix’ for All-Star free agent Alex Bregman.
The Chicago Cubs remain a destination for Alex Bregman
The Cubs have been linked to Bregman all offseason long. In a recent article, in 670 The Score and post on X by New York Post columnist Jon Heyman still reports the Cubs as a landing spot for Bregman. The Cubs have some stiff competition to sign Bregman with his former club the Houston Astros still remaining the top destination and with the Red Sox, Blue Jays, and the Detroit Tigers as being the other teams still ‘in’ on Bregman.
“The Cubs are hanging around in the Alex Bregman derby while also eyeing more bullpen help and another infielder for their bench, writes @MLBBruceLevine.“
The Cubs are hanging around in the Alex Bregman derby while also eyeing more bullpen help and another infielder for their bench, writes @MLBBruceLevine. https://t.co/QK7EMmsLd4 pic.twitter.com/iDJSsyWJuk
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) January 29, 2025
What's the latest on Alex Bregman? 👀
(w/ @JonHeyman) pic.twitter.com/qLLGBXLh93
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) January 29, 2025
Adding Bregman to an already stacked lineup would put the Cubs in the company of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies as one of the best teams in the National League. Bregman is a career .272/.366/.453 hitter with an OPS and OPS+ of .848 and 132 and would light a spark in this Cubs lineup.
Adding Bregman would further bolster the team
For the Cubs to add Bregman as I said would put them as one of the top teams in the National League with Bregman so far having a Hall of Fame career and remaining durable. The soon-to-be 31-year-old had a solid season for the Astros playing in 145 games and winning the Gold Glove award. Bregman also tallied 30 doubles, 2 triples, 26 HRs, 75 RBI, and a slash line of .260/.315/.453 for an OPS and OPS+ of .768 and 118.
When examining Bregman’s season further when looking at his Baseball Savant page Bregman was exceptional with ranking in the 96th percentile for squared-up percentage (33.8%). He also ranked in the 94th percentile for K percentage (13.6%), the 98th percentile for whiff percentage (12.8%), and the 91st percentile for his range. Pairing Bregman’s bat-to-ball skills with the pop of his former teammate Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki would be a deadly lineup for opposing pitchers to traverse.
If Bregman were signed he would figure to slide into the two-hole behind Ian Happ and shift everyone else in the lineup down a peg. Currently as projected by FanGraphs the Cubs have Happ leading off, with Tucker hitting second, Suzuki third, and Michael Busch batting cleanup. The Cubs need more thump in their lineup with Happ being the leader for the Cubs in home runs last season with 25.
The Cubs could us Bregman’s 26 to pair with Happ and Tucker’s 23 from last season and 29 home runs from the year prior. Bregman is a solid bat-to-ball hitter which the Cubs could use if they want to incorporate hit and run plays and cause havoc on the base paths.
Will Bregman be a Cub when it’s all said and done?
The jury is still out on whether Bregman will be a Cub or not with there still no indications of where he will go.
All the reports point to Bregman having offers for five years on the table and the Cubs appear reluctant go that long after seeing what they saw with Dansby Swanson.
Even though Matt Shaw has the ability to be the Cub’s version of Bregman he is still an unproven prospect whereas Bregman is a bonified Hall of Famer and having his glove in the field and bat in the lineup will get the Cubs to their goal of making the playoffs.
Chicago Cubs: Ryan Pressly’s role as closer may not be as secure as previously expected
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