Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman accepted full blame for a 2‑1, 10‑inning loss to the San Francisco Giants. He went 0‑for‑5 and recorded the final out, saying, “I’ve been terrible. I need to play better.” The defeat ended a streak of 15 home wins and slid the club down the NL Central standings after a series of offensive struggles and slumps.

Bregman, in his first year of a five‑year, $175 million deal signed after rejecting a return to the Boston Red Sox, has seen his OPS plunge to .669 following Sunday’s loss. He posted .178 with runners in scoring position, a figure that underscores the Cubs’ offensive collapse. Fans have booed him at Wrigley as the team falls 7.5 games behind Milwaukee.

Bregman admitted mechanical flaws—missing the middle of the plate and over‑relying on soft, late fastballs—have cost him runs. With a .135 average against breaking pitches, he lags league‑worst Dansby Swanson, who sits at .106. The Cubs now face a steep climb as their offense stalls and pitching injuries mount, threatening their playoff hopes through the remainder of the season this.