Even as his offensive numbers remained uncharacteristically low into July, Alex Bregman continued to say that a turnaround was coming. There was a process happening behind the scenes and a trust that the work was going to lead to a reverse in production. As October inches closer and the Cubs close in on a postseason berth, Bregman has more than lived up to those personal prognostications. Over the past two months, the veteran third baseman has been one of baseball’s best players -- overshadowed by the MVP campaign being compiled by his teammate, center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. In a 12-2 romp over the Pirates on Friday afternoon, Bregman kept his foot on the gas within an all-around offensive onslaught by the North Siders in their return to Wrigley Field for the penultimate homestand of the season. Bregman finished a triple shy of a cycle in a 16-hit day for Chicago to back a quality start from Shota Imanaga. “Probably in like June,” Bregman said, “I kind of just decided that I don’t really care what my numbers look like. I care about fixing my mechanics for the rest of my career. And I feel like that mentality allows you not to chase hitting seven homers in one at-bat. And it allows you just to take one at-bat at a time, and try to win the next pitch and win the next at-bat.” The Cubs pulled into a tie with the Phillies for the National League’s top Wild Card spot, after Philadelphia lost in Atlanta on Friday. But the Cubs own the tiebreaker with the Phillies after winning the season series, 6-1.
