When Alex Bregman goes cold, it’s noticeable – and for nearly a month, it was hard not to notice. Beginning on August 23, the Red Sox third baseman was mired in a prolonged slump, hitting just .186 with a .452 OPS over a 24-game stretch. For a player who’s made a living crushing pitches on the inner half and driving the ball with authority, the sudden drop-off raised concerns, especially with Boston fighting for its postseason life down the stretch.

But this past weekend offered a glimpse of the Bregman the Red Sox need – and the one fans have been waiting to see again. In a crucial three-game series against the Rays, Bregman went 5-for-11 and launched his second home run of September. While that stat line might not leap off the page, the quality of contact-and Bregman’s own words-suggest that something’s starting to click again.

“I feel like the swing, mechanically, is getting right to where I want it,” Bregman said after the final game of the series in Tampa. “Obviously, for the last month and a half, month or so, it hasn’t really felt great like it did early on in the season.”

Listen closely, and you can hear a hitter who’s been not just grinding but recalibrating-piece by piece, rep by rep. Bregman pointed to a more intentional approach at the plate, trying to elevate hard-hit balls to the pull side while being selective enough to keep opposite-field contact low and on a line. It’s the formula that’s long defined his best stretches: pull power, line-drive discipline, and clean, efficient swings.

That balance has been missing. During his slump, Bregman was pressing – expanding the zone early in counts, chasing pitches he’d normally spit on, and rolling over weak grounders that pitchers love to induce.

Simply put, he didn’t look like Alex Bregman. Timing was off.

Execution wasn’t there. And the frustration was evident.

But against Tampa, there were signs of the old rhythm returning. Not just in results, but in the way he moved in the box – more assertive, more fluid, more dangerous.

Each at-bat had a purpose, and the swings weren’t just hopeful hacks. They were decisions.

Calculated. Controlled.

That matters a great deal right now. The Red Sox are 85-71 with less than a week to go in the regular season, locked in a fierce battle for a Wild Card spot. A lot has gone right down the stretch – from the rotation stabilizing to key bullpen arms stepping up – but without Bregman in gear, the lineup isn’t close to reaching its offensive ceiling.

A locked-in Bregman changes that equation. It forces pitchers to navigate the middle of Boston’s lineup more carefully, it gives Rafael Devers more protection, and it adds the kind of postseason-tested bat that’s capable of delivering when the stakes couldn’t be higher.

And then there’s the obvious subplot. With rumors swirling around Bregman potentially opting out of his deal and heading back into the free agent waters, every productive game he puts together now isn’t just about Boston’s playoff push – it’s about value.

Market value. Legacy value.

October value.

Bregman won’t say it out loud, but he knows it. Players of his caliber don’t just stumble into free agency.

They plan for it. And hitting a few more clutch bombs down the stretch could do wonders for both team and player.

For now, though, the Red Sox will settle for one simple hope: that the swing Bregman’s been chasing all month has finally arrived – just in time.