Alex Bregman Soaring in Second Half

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman has been incredible since the All-Star break, and particularly so since the birth of his son.

Alex Bregman looks to be re-establishing himself as one of the elite third basemen in Major League Baseball. Some may even argue he is the very best in the league after his start to the second half of the season.

After a successful first half of 2022, Bregman has found a new gear at the plate post All-Star break. The former LSU Tiger is slugging .341/.407/.650 since July 20 and is showing no signs of slowing down. 

The Astros third baseman totaled 11 home runs, 46 RBI, and 127 total bases in the first 91 games. Bregman already has 8 home runs, 29 RBI, and 80 total bases in the second half. At this rate, he is on pace to blow his first half numbers out of the water with 36 games still to play in the regular season.

For those wondering where this outburst of production is coming from, one possibility is the often talked about theory of "dad strength". On August 1, 2022, Bregman's wife Reagan gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Knox Samuel Bregman, who is their first child.

One day later, the new father was back on the diamond. Bregman could have stayed on the paternity list a little longer, but Reagan told him to "get out there and get some hits". 

That is just what the Albuquerque native has done, as he his proving to be a nightmare for opposing pitchers. 

Bregman has gone 30-for-79 and is hitting .380 at the dish since the birth of his son. He ranks in the top-10 in the MLB in hits, batting average, home runs, RBI, and OPS in the month of August. Just name a hitting statistic, and his name is up near the top.

Whether you believe in "dad strength" or not, Bregman's recent performance definitely supports the theory. 

Heading into the last month of the season, if Bregman can stay hot (and Houston continues to play sounds defense), the Astros could finish with the best record in the American League. They are currently 22-13 in the second half and have soared past the New York Yankees for the top spot in the AL. 

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