The All-Star Alex Bregman Is Back

Alex Bregman has always been a second-half performer. For his career, Bregman is a .260 hitter with an .820 OPS in the first half and a .295 hitter with a .921 OPS in the second half.

Slow starts have been a consistent part of his career. After battling injury for much of the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Bregman broke out in a big way in the second half of 2022. He hit .287 with an .894 OPS to finish the season, picking up the AL Player of the Month in August along the way. He then hit .294 with three bombs and a .948 OPS in the postseason.

We predicted a return to his MVP-caliber form before the season, and while he didn't live up to that in the first half, lost in the Yainer vs. Maldy debate, the Chas McCormick breakout, and the AL West division race is what Bregman has been doing.

In the 36 games since we've reached the second half, Bregman is hitting .297. The on-base machine of old is back, reaching at a .401 clip. He's also doing damage when he does swing, posting a .544 slug and eight of his 20 home runs.

His .945 second half OPS is .219 points higher than his first half.

Needless to say, he's back. Now he just needs to stay.

He's been streaky all season. With Yordan Alvarez now nursing an injured finger and having not quite regained form since coming off the IL, and with the Astros starting rotation giving up runs in bunches, Houston needs its best players to play like best players.

If the Astros are going to overtake Texas and hold off the Mariners in the AL West, and if they're to make a deep run in October, they're going to need their 2x All-Star third baseman to continue playing like the one he is.