Chicago Cubs: Alex Bregman beats funk with assist from Dansby Swanson

For many, the Chicago Cubs’ signing of three-time All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman provided definitive proof that the team was actually “all in” when it came to winning in 2026.

More News: Report: Chicago Cubs farm system eyed by New York Mets scouts amid trade buzz

After making a small, too-conservative pass at signing the veteran prior to the 2025 season, Jed Hoyer and the front office doubled back to land the two-time World Series champ with a 5-year, $175 million contract.

Although starting his Cubs tenure at 32 years of age, the team gambled that Bregman’s physical decline in the back end of the contract would be offset by the leadership and other intangibles he would bring to the table.

Up until very, very recently, there was doubt as to whether the Cubs made the right decision this offseason.

Bregman came into Monday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals batting .234 with a .682 OPS, 10 home runs and 44 RBIs. And while is defense has been solid and his leadership has proven valuable, the lagging bat was forefront in concerns over his Cubs run.

Bregman borrows from Swanson

More News: Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox bidding war for trade deadline pitcher?

In the midst of his offensive funk, though, the meticulously analytical Bregman decided to try something new—Dansby Swanson’s larger and heavier Marucci JD20 model bat.

That first day, he went 4-for-5 with a home run and 2 RBIs. The next day, he went 3-for-5.

Meghan Montemurro, Cubs beat writer for the Chicago Tribune talked about Bregman’s switch-up and the additional adjustments he made while using the bigger Swanson-model bat:

“In addition to using Swanson’s bat, Bregman choked up on the handle and put his hands further back in his stance, ‘like way further back,’ he explained. Bregman tried to get his bat plane a little bit more behind him, which he admitted was a weird thought. Ultimately, the goal was to stay back more, tweaks that initially started over the weekend in Pittsburgh.

‘Not being super direct and short to the ball, kind of getting on plane deeper and hopefully the heavy bat and also my hands being further back kind of holds me back more,’ Bregman said. ‘I’d kind of been flying forward and cutting the corner and cutting everything. That’s why I’m popping up a lot and missing pitches in the middle. So (Monday) was a better step in the right direction.

‘It probably doesn’t look like anything was really different to somebody who doesn’t watch my swing like 10,000 times, but for me it looks like a completely different swing. But at the end of the day, baseball’s crazy. Sometimes you need one swing to kind of get you going.’”

“Guaranteed four hits tonight”

When learning of Bregman’s decision to use his bat, Swanson, who’s loaned out his bat to teammates before, showcased a bit of good-natured clairvoyance.

“It was funny when I found out that he was going to do it,” Swanson told Montemurro. “I was like, dude, it’s guaranteed he’s getting four hits tonight.”

Of course, two games is hardly any sample size at all. It’s also fun and easy to point to one singular moment or affect as the catalyst for a turnaround at the plate. The less entertaining truth is that Bregman has been grinding all year to turn around his flat offensive performance and recently seems to have locked on to something. Since July 19, he’s hitting .343 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs.

Whatever the cause of the turnaround, though, the Cubs are hoping it continues.

The post Chicago Cubs: Alex Bregman beats funk with assist from Dansby Swanson appeared first on ChiCitySports.