Alex Bregman just rewrote the record books on Thursday, September 24. With the Chicago Cubs clinching a National League wild-card berth against the Miami Marlins, Bregman is officially headed to the postseason for his tenth consecutive year. Think about that for a second: ten straight Octobers. And get this: the 32-year-old third baseman is doing it with a seriously injured eye, which only adds to his growing legend.
The Streak is Real: Three Teams, Ten Years
What Bregman just did isn’t just a cool stat, it’s unprecedented. He’s the first position player in MLB history to hit the postseason for ten straight seasons with multiple teams. We’re talking three different ballclubs here! Eight of those years were with the Houston Astros, where he was a two-time All-Star and a two-time champion. Remember him as the brash slugger in his first full season when they snagged the 2017 World Series? Or the MVP runner-up when they battled to Game 7 in 2019? He was also the “chastened veteran” on the 2022 squad that won their second World Series, that time without any controversy following the team.
Then, last year, he made the move that truly stamped his unique influence: he left the Astros and, combining his production with his baseball smarts and clubhouse gravitas, immediately lifted the Boston Red Sox to the postseason for the first time in three years. Meanwhile, the Astros missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Talk about a difference-maker! He inked a five-year, $175 million deal with the Cubs back in January, and it’s clear his “vibes” and career .846 OPS were exactly what they wanted.
Bregman’s 2026 Surge and Playoff Grit
It’s all come together in Wrigleyville. Thanks to a monster second-half surge, Bregman has absolutely mashed, putting up 26 home runs, an .804 OPS, and a 5.4 WAR. That WAR number is second only to Pete Crow-Armstrong on the Cubs, which is saying something. Crow-Armstrong summed it up best last month, telling USA TODAY Sports, “Anytime Alex Bregman is playing an Alex Bregman brand of baseball, it’s just good for the program.” You can feel that truth, right?
Now, with a gruesome eye injury, the fact he’s even playing just days after suffering it, and still performing at this level? That’s the stuff of legends. This isn’t just about showing up; it’s about being a cornerstone, dragging teams into October, and doing it with a relentless drive.
Bregman’s ten-year streak puts him in rare company, alongside absolute October stalwarts like Mariano Rivera (13 straight postseasons) and Derek Jeter (12), as well as Kenley Jansen and Greg Maddux, who also reached 10. The Cubs are riding his coattails into the big dance, and with Bregman’s history, you know he’s going to leave it all out there. Get ready for some serious October baseball, because Alex Bregman is here, injured eye and all!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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