The Boston third baseman did it all Wednesday. He delivered with clutch swings, he helped the Red Sox snap a three-game losing streak with a 6-4 win over the Texas Rangers and he remained focused on the higher standard must meet rather than focusing on his standout night.
Bregman got going in the fourth inning when he launched a solo home run over the Green Monster that got the Red Sox on the board. The swing marked his 200th career home run, a milestone he credited to his baseball community throughout a successful professional journey.
“I think I’ve just been fortunate to play a kid’s game that I love,” Bregman said. “Been able to play at a high level for a long time now. It’s due to a lot of people. Coaches, teammates, players, support staff in the training room or the gym that help you stay on the field. Just thankful to still be playing this game. Hope to play it for another 10 years. It’s cool. I’m glad it just helped the team win to be honest.”
That still wasn’t his biggest swing of the night.
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Bregman stepped back in with two runners on and two out in the seventh inning with a 3-3 score. First base was open, which left the Rangers the opportunity to walk Bregman and pitch to Kristian Campbell.
Similar decisions haunted the Red Sox recently when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. slugged the game-winning home run for the Blue Jays last week in Toronto. On Wednesday night, Boston benefited from the decision in the Texas dugout when Bregman roped a two-run single to left field to take the lead.
“They have a really good pitching staff over there,” Bregman said. “I feel like I was just fortunate enough to put a good swing on it and find some grass. I think the guys did a really good job getting on base in front of me and getting in scoring position. Fortunate enough to come through.”
“They brought the lefty earlier for him,” Alex Cora said. “His numbers against lefties the last few years have been OK, right? … He just got to it and got the hit.”
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Bregman is the ultimate difference-maker for this Red Sox team. It’s boggling to think of where this team would be without him. The two-time World Series champion is off to the best start of his career, to the tune of a .327 batting average with a 1.013 OPS and nine home runs. His personal success matters, but his impact in helping set the ballclub back in the right direction is far more important to the Boston third baseman.
“I think we just needed to stop the bleeding to be honest with you,” Bregman explained. “Obviously, it’s still super early in the season, but this is our first time playing together. I feel like we’re figuring out our identity. Figuring out what it takes to win baseball games at this level. There’s a certain preparation. There’s a certain execution that needs to be there. Not only needs to be there, but should be expected. I feel like when you prepare at a high level, it gives you a chance to execute in the game.”
“There’s a lot of confidence, a lot of work,” Cora said. “He’s up early and he’s locked into 7:10 with what we have to do to get a W. Obviously, he’s a big part of it. He helps his teammates. He helps coaches, pitchers, it doesn’t matter. He locks in. Then, he executes. … He’s playing championship caliber baseball.”
Games like Wednesday night, in the conversation of the regular season, are exactly why the Red Sox brought in Bregman with a financial commitment the team reserved for multiple seasons. He sets the culture. He ignites the ballpark crowd. He delivers the big swing.
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It’s hard for the Red Sox to ask for anything more than what they’ve gotten from their big-ticket free agent.
He just wants to win.
“When I decided to sign here, I signed here to win baseball games,” Bregman said. “I feel like we have a team that can do that and win a lot of baseball games. Obviously, we haven’t started the way we want. We lost some games we should’ve won this year. We need to do a better job of executing and preparing. Just getting better as a team. I know we hold ourselves to a high standard. When you play in this market, everyone holds you to a high standard. Obviously, we need to play like we played today and continue to prepare and execute at a high level.”
