Alex Bregman's Opening Day message shows Cubs what they were missing last year

Opening Day has arrived, and Alex Bregman is the Chicago Cubs' All-Star third baseman. The Cubs' whiff on Bregman last offseason defined the start of their season. It was clear that the Cubs could not have only used the experience of Bregman at third base, but the experience of Bregman, the leader behind the scenes and in the clubhouse.

There's been no shortage of stories during spring training highlighting the influence Bregman is already having on the Cubs. From instilling confidence in Pete Crow-Armstrong, talking about how veteran pitchers, now his teammates, were tipping pitches, and seeking the hitting profile for each player on the roster, Bregman is already at the center of the Cubs' way moving forward.

As for what that means, Bregman explained it best in a letter he penned for The Players' Tribune ahead of Opening Day. While expressing his excitement for joining the Cubs and playing at Wrigley Field, the veteran third baseman went into detail about what he plans on bringing to the organization.

"I’ve been around winning my whole career, from my freshman year of high school all the way up through this year. Pretty much every team I’ve ever been on has been fortunate enough to play in the postseason. So I know what a winning atmosphere looks like. When you get down to it, it’s a combination of every player in the clubhouse trying to be the best player on the team … but then at the same time also caring about their teammates, and about their success, about helping their teammates, communicating, holding each other accountable."

Alex Bregman may not be as talented as Kyle Tucker, but he could have more value to the Cubs than Tucker ever did.

When the Cubs traded for Kyle Tucker ahead of the 2025 season, the hope was that they were getting an impact bat that could make a difference in October. While Tucker looked the part during the opening months of the season, a pair of injuries made him an afterthought in the Cubs' lineup when they were facing the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS.

Intentional or not, Bregman's arrival is viewed as the primary replacement to Tucker on the Cubs' roster. Offensively, when both are right, there's no question that Tucker is the better player.

What the Cubs are hoping is that Bregman's intangibles are more valuable than the production Tucker provides on the field. Yes, the Cubs will need Bregman to be the All-Star third baseman he was with the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox, but they also will be counting on the leadership and mentoring he provides when the cameras aren't on.

That's what was missing with the Tucker experiment last season for the Cubs, and Bregman is already on a path toward correcting that.