Alex Bregman appears to be the main focus for the Chicago Cubs during the final week of the offseason.
Pitchers and catchers report to Arizona on Sunday for the Cubs, marking the day that Jed Hoyer normally likes to be completed with the heavy-lifting portion of the Cubs' offseason. That statement does hold true for Hoyer, who made notable improvements to the roster this winter with the additions of Kyle Tucker, Ryan Pressly, Matthew Boyd, and Colin Rea. Improvements that have moved the Cubs closer to being a 90-win team.
While adding Bregman would have been viewed at the start of the offseason as the primary move for the Cubs, with the All-Star third baseman still on the market as Spring Training starts, the move is viewed as an opportunistic deal for the Cubs' front office.
As opportunistic as signing Bregman for the Cubs may be, it's a move that has been met with some reservations.
One argument against signing Bregman has been that he would push Matt Shaw out of the starting lineup. If that is the reason that any fan does not want the Cubs to sign Bregman, then they are the exact fans Tom Ricketts is talking to when he mentions why the Cubs can not be the Los Angeles Dodgers. New York Mets, and New York Yankees. This argument should immediately be discarded.
Alex Bregman's offense shouldn't disappear at Wrigley Field.
The other argument against signing Bregman, one that does deserve some attention, is how the veteran's offense would transfer away from the Crawford Boxes at Daikin Park. Bregman has certainly taken advantage of the short porch in left field, but his spray chart does suggest his tendencies would play well at Wrigley Field, especially when it comes to Bregman's ability to drive the ball to left-center field.
As for power, in the last three seasons with the Astros, Bregman had home run totals of 26, 29, and 26. Adjusting for Wrigley Field, over the last three seasons, Bregman has expected home run totals of 25, 29, and 26. Given how much Hoyer and company have talked about the weather at Wrigley Field last season impacting the team's offense, it's fair that fans would be skeptical of an incoming player's ability to perform at the Friendly Confines. While remembering the 2024 season remains the outlier for how Wrigley Field traditionally plays, Bregman's expected home run totals at Wrigley Field over the last three seasons also should provide ease of mind.
