Alex Bregman hit three home runs and drove in a career-high seven runs on August 12, 2026, powering the Chicago Cubs to a 12-6 victory over the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park and continuing a dominant surge at the plate since late July.
Alex Bregman is making up for lost time in the nation’s capital.
The performance marked the first three-homer game of Bregman’s career. It also cemented a dramatic offensive turnaround for the 32-year-old infielder, who signed a lucrative five-year, $175 million contract in January.
Video Study and Adjustments Pay Off at Nationals Park
During the Cubs’ off-day on Monday night, Bregman dove deep into video archives, reviewing clips from earlier in the season and comparing them to mechanics from a decade ago, pulling up footage from his Double-A days in Corpus Christi.
That preparation translated immediately to the diamond. After drawing walks in his first two plate appearances on Wednesday—making him the first player in Cubs history to record multiple walks in a three-homer game—Bregman went to work against Washington’s pitching staff.
In the fifth inning, he lofted a sweeper from Jake Bird into the visitors’ bullpen in left for a three-run blast that capped a four-run frame. An inning later, he pulled a first-pitch slider from Yovanny Cruz out to left for a two-run shot, capping a five-run sixth that pushed the lead to 9-4. He completed the trifecta in the eighth, driving an elevated fastball from Trevor Williams into the Chicago bullpen.
Entering Rare Franchise and League Company
Bregman’s explosive night etched his name alongside several historic baseball milestones.
Furthermore, Bregman joined a select group of teammates.
A Torrid Stretch Propels the Cubs Forward
The offensive outburst highlights a profound turnaround for Bregman following a slow start in Chicago. After hitting just seven home runs through his first 92 games with the club, Bregman has surged over the summer months. He has hit nine home runs in his last 26 games since July 11. In 16 games since July 27, he is batting .388 with six homers and 17 RBIs, leading the major leagues in hits over that span.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell praised the collective resilience of his roster after the victory, pointing to Bregman’s performance as a prime example of the team’s depth.
“I think that’s why this is a good team. We have a different guy who can do that any day, maybe. Dansby’s done it. Pete [Crow-Armstrong]’s certainly done it. Ian [Happ]’s done it. Seiya’s done it. It’s pretty cool and that’s a great game. He definitely drove the bus today.”
Craig Counsell, Cubs Manager, via ESPN
With the win, the Cubs improved to 71-50—a season-high 21 games over .500—and pulled within three games of the National League Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers. Chicago has now captured nine consecutive road series victories and will look for a series sweep at Nationals Park on Thursday afternoon, when right-hander Kevin Gausman takes the mound against Washington righty Cade Cavalli.
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