Alex Bregman has been outstanding all year, emerging as the best hitter for the Houston Astros all season long. The All-Star Game MVP hit .286 this season with 31 home runs and 103 RBIs and has continued that trend in the post-season. Bregman led Houston in the ALDS as they swept the Cleveland Indians behind his .556 average. The third baseman also went yard twice against the Indians.
Now Houston gets ready to take on arguably the best team in baseball besides themselves in the Boston Red Sox. It’s a series that will feature some of the brightest stars in the game and could end up being the most exciting series of the entire post-season. From the elite arms to the electric young stars who can turn around any fastball, it should be an amazing matchup.
Alex Bregman’s Hot Bat will be Critical in ALCS
Bregman must continue to hit
Both Jose Altuve and Yuli Gurriel finished with higher averages than Bregman during the season, but they didn’t have the same type of impact. Between the two, they did not even hit as many homers as Bregman. Obviously, both players are still very important to the Astros, but Bregman is the main man that AJ Hinch relies on at the plate based on how hot he is right now. Every single game, Bregman helps the club in one way or another.
Bregman is so clutch when it matters most. Aside from already winning a World Series title last year with the Astros, he has already hit six post-season home runs. Several of those bombs were in high leverage situations, too. He went deep off Chris Sale over the Green Monster in Game 4 of the 2017 ALDS, which proved to be the biggest hit of that series. Home runs aren’t the only clutch hits he has produced in the playoffs. In last year’s World Series, Bregman hit a game-winning base knock in a crazy Game 5 win against the Dodgers.
The former No. 2 overall pick is just 24-years old but has the maturity of a player who’s been playing in the big leagues for a lot longer than just two years. Bregman is a big-time player who isn’t afraid of the bright lights. He’s lit up some of the best arms in the game, including homers against the likes of Corey Kluber, Chris Sale, Kenley Jansen, Clayton Kershaw, and Trevor Bauer.
Game-changer for the Astros
In a year where Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve both struggled with injuries, Bregman has thrown the Astros right on his back and carried them. The level he is playing at right now is unbelievable and contagious. It makes his teammates want to play the same way. He is a spark plug for this club and will be extremely important to their success if they want to beat the Red Sox.
Boston will have to be wary of how they pitch against Bregman or else he will make them pay. It doesn’t matter if it is Sale or Craig Kimbrel on the mound, he will punish them. Confidence just drips off of Bregman, and it’s very clear that he believes in his abilities based on the way he plays baseball.
Whether it’s at third base or at the plate, Bregman will continue to shine in pressure situations for the Houston Astros as they eye another World Series appearance. It’s what he knows best.
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