Manager Craig Counsell unconcerned about underperforming Alex Bregman

ARLINGTON, Texas — From the surface, some may have a look at the red-hot Cubs and picture that new third baseman Alex Bregman was off to the form of begin he had in Boston final season. They can be improper.

Through 40 video games final season, Bregman posted a slash line of .319/.392/.581/.974, with 9 dwelling runs, 15 doubles, 31 RBI and 29 runs for the Red Sox. He has not come near replicating these numbers up to now with the Cubs.

In 40 video games with the Cubs, Bregman has posted a really modest slash line of .233/.328/.333/.661, with three dwelling runs, 5 doubles, a triple, and 13 RBI. He did not hit his first dwelling run till his twenty second sport in a Cubs uniform, and was quiet on the plate through the crew’s newest 10-game successful streak: He posted a slash line of .222/.349/.278/.627, together with his solely extra-base hits being two doubles. He has three RBI and 7 walks.

On Saturday evening, Bregman went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, reaching on an error and lining out in his different two at-bats.

“Alex is probably off to a slower start by his standards,” Counsell said at the outset of the weekend. “[That] makes me happy in a weird way, that we’ve got some good Alex Bregman coming here, but he’s definitely impacted [this team].”

Bregman was sitting at his locker along with Nico Hoerner in a sparsely populated postgame clubhouse, both living up to their reputations for accountability. He noted that, yes, he had the best start of his career in Boston, but he can point to a number of other slow starts as well.

“Yeah, I feel like I’ve started quick, maybe two years,” Bregman stated. “So, just continue to work at it. Continue to grind away and be confident in the fact that it’s going to happen. Keep working, keep after it, and the end of the year, be right where we want.”

Conforto gets another start

Michael Confortowhose week began with a pinch-hit walk-off home run against the Reds on Monday night, was in the starting lineup for the third consecutive game Saturday. After batting sixth against the Reds on Thursday and reaching base all four times with a single, double, home run and walk, Conforto moved into the No. 2 spot Friday and hit a bloop double, walked, and singled. That’s five hits in seven at-bats, and an encore start, again in the No. 2 slot.

Does Counsell believe in going with the hot hand?

“Yeah,” Counsell stated. “I imply, I’d say, in all probability not that a lot, however Michael modified my thoughts as we speak. I believe Michael’s simply been on it. I imply, I do not assume there’s any query about that.”

Conforto’s enjoying time is coming on the expense of Moises Ballesteroswho has cooled off after a torrid begin. The Cubs are 20-7 in video games through which Ballesteros begins, however over his final 9 video games he’s simply 2-for-31 (.065).

“[Ballesteros] just isn’t fairly on it, so it makes it just a little bit simpler,” Counsell stated. “But if I could play 10 guys today, I would have played 10 guys. I know that.

“It’s simply robust to disregard what Michael is doing. We should discover a spot for him. I believe Moises sees what Michael is doing.”

The Dodgers signed Conforto to a one-year, $17 million deal in 2025 to be their on a regular basis left fielder however he acquired off to a horrific begin (.156 in April) and hovered round a .200 common all season. When he batted simply .179 over his final 9 video games, the Dodgers left him off their postseason roster.