Astros: Will Alex Bregman Redeem Himself?

Today is May 21, and Alex Bregman has a .720 OPS, good enough for worst of his career.

It seems like every time I open Twitter as of late, most of the Astros Twitter community is talking about how bad Alex Bregman is. Bregman has been my favorite Astro since the All-Star Futures game in 2016, and he still is favorite MLB player.

Unfortunately, even I have to admit that Bregman is underperforming compared to what the Astros are currently paying him. In 2019, Bregman had a 1.015 OPS and an 8.7 WAR. His WAR currently is a meager 0.8.

With Bregman slumping, will he ever reach peak form again and redeem himself?

I sure hope so. He had wrist surgery after the 2021 season, a season in which he also struggled. Many, including myself, thought that a healthy Bregman would mean 2019 numbers once again. However, thus far, that has not been the case.

It seems like fans have turned against Bregman, which I find to be very unfair. After everything he has gone through, it is important to realize that it takes time to find your swing again after an extended period of absence, or in this case, a surgery.

It seems that his timing is off, and Bregman claims that he is very close to having it down. Personally, I believe him. The other thing he has going for him is the fact that he is about to become a father, which should make him have more discipline, hopefully both on and off the field.

I think Bregman’s problems at the plate are all mental, and being a father should give him that mental boost that he needs. But who am I to know? If Bregman does get out of the slump, what numbers should Astros’ fans expect him to put up?

I think Bregman will return to somewhere around his 2017 numbers. His 2019 numbers at this point are just unrealistic, and fans need to stop expecting that performance from him. In 2017, he put up an .827 OPS and a 4.0 WAR, while being a vital piece in the championship run. He has always been a great fielder, and continues to be one, so that is not an area I worry about.

I wish Bregman nothing but the best, and I will continue to support him through his ups and down. Astros’ fans, you should do the same.