3 Takeaways After Alex Bregman Finally Comes Up Big For Cubs in Win vs Reds

The Chicago Cubs (53-42) have been streaky this season, but they avoided a third consecutive loss on Saturday with a 5-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds (43-51) at Great American Ball Park.

Chicago evened the series and set up a rubber-match finale on Sunday, in which the Cubs have the opportunity to go 12 games over .500 into the All-Star break. That's not too shabby for a team that lost 10 games in a row two months ago.

Even better: They gained 1.5 games on the Milwaukee Brewers in the last two days and sit six games back with a 1.5-game lead in the top Wild Card spot.

Here are three things we learned from the win!

Bregman's Big Swing

Jul 10, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman (3) throws to first to get Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson (not pictured) out in the fourth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Alex Bregman's time in Chicago thus far has been met with a lot of criticism.

While he's been a plus defender at third base in all aspects, his offensive production has not been anywhere near what the Cubs expected when he inked a five-year, $175 million deal.

The 32-year-old is a career .270 hitter but entered Saturday hitting just .236 on the season. He's hitting .156 in July and managed just .200 in June.

But the Cubs needed a big hit late in a tie game, and Bregman was the one to come through at last.

GO-AHEAD, BREGGY! pic.twitter.com/AtHQktMVRM
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 12, 2026

With one away and a man on, Bregman hit a towering two-run blast to the left field seats to give the Cubs the lead. It was his eighth home run of the season, but it was also his first go-ahead home run since August 11, 2025 — before he ever donned the blue pinstripes.

Ice In His Veins

Jun 12, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Javier Assad (72) throws against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the amount of injuries to their pitching staff this year, every guy who takes the ball for the Cubs has essentially had to be the stopgap arm.

Javier Assad has gladly accepted that role, and he's been incredibly solid, save for one or two rocky showings. He's had to do a lot of dirty work, and he's begun to show a knack for coming out unscathed.

Assad entered his start on Saturday with opponents batting just .125 against him in situations Baseball Reference classifies as "high-leverage." Their model accounts for changes in win probability in a given situation to classify leverage, but it's also a stat where we can simply use the eye test: Assad has been extremely good at getting himself out of his own jams.

He did it more than once on Saturday. In the 1st inning, the Reds posed an immediate threat when they put men on the corners with nobody out. But Assad didn't waver. He struck out J.J. Bleday and then induced a ground ball for a double play to end the frame.

In the 3rd, back-to-back singles from T.J. Friedl and Elly De La Cruz gave Cincinnati two men on with nobody out. and the heart of the order set to come up.

Sal Stewart flied out softly for the first out, and then Assad and Michael Busch worked some magic to catch De La Cruz leaning at first base for the pickoff. Immediately afterward, Bleday flew out and Assad was out of it once again.

The right-hander finished his day after five innings of work, allowing two earned runs on seven hits and punching out four. His ERA sits at 4.11 for the season, but he's been excellent in his last seven appearances (35.1 IP) to the tune of a 2.80 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP.

Next Man Up

Jun 28, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Ryan Rolison (33) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cubs' bullpen has been pretty middle-of-the-pack so far this year. Their 4.14 ERA is 16th best — or perhaps 15th-worst — in baseball. They've struggled much more over the last month, posting an MLB-eighth-worst 5.54 ERA.

After Assad laid the groundwork on Saturday, it came down to a bullpen quintet to salvage the day: Drew Pomeranz, Caleb Thielbar, Jacob Webb, Ryan Rolison and Trent Thornton.

Pomeranz, an old friend whom the Cubs picked back up on July 3 off waivers, has struggled in his return to Chicago (8.10 ERA in 3.1 innings). He allowed a home run on his very first pitch on Saturday, but that was the extent of the damage as he settled back in to get through an inning.

Thielbar and Webb each put up a scoreless inning of their own. Then, it was up to birthday boy Ryan Rolison to record his second save of the season. He had the bottom of the order to work with.

Leadoff man Tyler Stephenson singled, and then Rolison recorded two quick outs. But a walk to De La Cruz meant it was now up to Thornton to shut the door once and for all.

Thornton had slugger Sal Stewart to deal with. All he needed was three pitches.

Stewart grounded an 0-2 pitch to Nico Hoerner, who could have made the putout in his sleep. Thornton was ecstatic to record the save.

Fire us UP, Trent Thornton. pic.twitter.com/pSk67nnxJy
— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) July 12, 2026

Sometimes it takes a village, and that is exactly how Craig Counsell has managed this bullpen this season. Next man up, and the next man can get the job done.

Coming Up Next

The Cubs' final game before the All-Star break is the series finale at 12:40 p.m. CT on Sunday.

Matthew Boyd (4-1, 4.31 ERA) is set to take the mound for the Cubs, while the hosts will send lefty Andrew Abbott (5-5, 3.92 ERA) to face Chicago hitters.

The Cubs will then return to action on July 17 to host the Minnesota Twins in a rare Friday night opener at 7:05.

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