Now is when Cubs need Alex Bregman most and history suggests he'll deliver

Alex Bregman hit his 25th home run of the season in Friday's blowout win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, marking the third time in the last four years he's eclipsed that mark. With the season winding down, the three-time All-Star is staying hot - a trend that's spanned his entire career and made him such an attractive free agent target for the Chicago Cubs.

With things going sideways lately for Craig Counsell's club, Bregman has been a consistent piece of the puzzle, teaming up with likely NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong in an attempt to put up offensive numbers that will help the team cover up its shaky and often unreliable bullpen. But had I told you four months ago that Bregman was at the center of the league's best offense, you'd have probably laughed in my face.

“Probably in like June,” Bregman told MLB.com, “I kind of just decided that I don’t really care what my numbers look like. I care about fixing my mechanics for the rest of my career. And I feel like that mentality allows you not to chase hitting seven homers in one at-bat. And it allows you just to take one at-bat at a time, and try to win the next pitch and win the next at-bat.”

Alex Bregman lives for clutch moments, which is good news for the Cubs

Since the All-Star break, Bregman has been a completely different player, evidenced by a nearly 300-point swing in his OPS (.696 to .991). The power stroke that was so notably missing in the first half has been on constant display. He's belted 16 of his 25 home runs in the last 51 games after hitting only nine in the first 94 contests.

The Cubs desperately wanted Bregman for a myriad of reasons - but his baseball rat reputation and his penchant for coming up when it matters most were at the top of the list. His track record in Houston and Boston spoke for itself - and his career numbers show: he's a second-half player who heats up with the summer temperatures.

Bregman has gone from being labeled a free-agent bust in the early-going to an indispensable piece of this Cubs' puzzle. If Chicago is going to come out on top in a crowded NL wild card picture, it probably means that Bregman finished the year hot. Assuming that happens, anything can happen in October - where the Cubs' veteran superstar has a long track record of delivering in big spots.

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