Cubs Boss Craig Counsell Shares First Words On Alex Bregman's Signing

The Chicago Cubs made arguably the most significant free agent signing in team history last weekend when they landed Alex Bregman on a five-year deal worth $175 million.

Signing the highest AAV Chicago has ever handed out in a contract at $35 million, Bregman instantly becomes one of the most high profile players on the team and was the splash fans have been waiting for now for years.

While fans and players have already expressed excitement, Cubs nation had not yet had a chance to hear thoughts from the man who will be deploying Bregman. That changed on Friday during Cubs Con 2026.

Alex Bregman | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Speaking publicly for the first time since the team made the move, Chicago manager Craig Counsell expressed some serious excitement with the signing of the three-time All-Star and the direction things are headed as a result.

Counsell 'super excited' about Bregman signing with Cubs

"Yeah of course, just super excited," Counsell said when asked to address his reaction to the deal. "I think it's just brought excitement as much as anything. Juice and energy, I think every team wants that and looks forward to that. He's a great player, he's been a great player for a long bit in this league, he's a proven winner.

"When you watch the press conference, just the number of times he said 'winning' I think is a pretty good example of what he's about. It's at the forefront of who he is and what he cares about, and that's always welcome in the Cubs organization and we're excited to have that."

As you’d expect, Craig Counsell was “super excited’ about the Cubs’ signing of Alex Bregman. pic.twitter.com/SSQ4cVKPKz
— 670 The Score (@thescorechicago) January 16, 2026

Clearly, this was an organizational decision to bring Bregman to Chicago. This is a player who, it seems not only president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer coveted, but also Counsell and team ownership. With everyone headed in the same direction, the sky could be the limit.

MORE: Cubs Deal For Alex Bregman Looks Even Better After Shocking Tucker Dodgers Move

What Bregman Brings to Cubs Lineup

Bregman has been one of the most consistently reliable players in all of baseball over the years, and though he was injured in 2025, he was well on his way to one of the best campaigns of his career.

In his lone season with the Boston Red Sox, Bregman slashed .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs and 62 RBI, posting a 3.5 bWAR in just 114 games played. As the face of a Houston Astros dynasty that terrorized baseball for nearly a decade, nobody knows what it takes to win more than Bregman.

Alex Bergman of Chicago Cubs sitting behind microphone — David Banks-Imagn Images

For a young Chicago clubhouse trying to take that next step to compete for championships, a better fit than Bregman simply cannot be imagined. His impact on and off the field will be immense, and the Cubs enter the 2026 season with more hype than they have had in a long time.

Counsell is as excited as anybody, clearly, and cannot wait to get to work with his new leader and third baseman. It won't be long before spring training begins, and Chicago gets to see Bregman in full action and ready to go.

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