In Major League Baseball, it’s common for many players to struggle at the plate early in the season. That pattern once applied to Alex Bregman as well—despite an 11-game hitting streak last April with the Astros, his career OPS in March and April sits at .767, noticeably below his overall .852 mark. However, Bregman is defying that trend in his debut season with the Boston Red Sox. Now playing under a three-year, $120 million contract, he’s off to a red-hot start, slashing .331/.401/.570 with six home runs and a 172 OPS+. On Tuesday, he went 3-for-5 with a solo homer in Boston’s 10-2 rout of the Blue Jays at Toronto’s Rogers Centre.
Manager Alex Cora credits Bregman’s strong performance to a productive offseason. “He put in a lot of work,” Cora told MassLive’s Christopher Smith, noting that Bregman struggled early last year by chasing pitches on the edges of the zone. Cora emphasized that Bregman’s value as a hitter extends beyond Fenway Park’s left-field wall, the famous Green Monster.
“He’s a complete hitter,” Cora said. “Like I mentioned during his introductory press conference, it’s not just about Fenway. He knows what it takes to succeed—and so far, it’s paying off.” Bregman has two opt-outs in his deal, but if he continues this level of performance—adding elite defense and a championship pedigree—the Red Sox will likely push hard to keep him in Boston long-term.
