The Chicago Cubs suffered their 3rd defeat of the 2026 season this Tuesday. And Alex Bregman didn’t even bother to sugarcoat his feelings in a postgame interview. The Cubs’ third baseman knew better than to redirect the blame after a concerning performance at Wrigley Field.

“I’ve played in hot, cold, all the way in between. It’s no excuse. We didn’t play good enough today,” Bregman offered his honest take.

Chicago suffered a 2-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on March 31 as the team registered only four hits. Bregman himself registered four at-bats with zero hits. This is the first shutout defeat for the Cubs, and naturally, they have many fingers pointed at him. 

The veteran, however, refrained from making any excuses and put the blame directly on their execution on the field. Notably, the temperature on Wrigley Field on Tuesday was 44 degrees. This is quite cold compared to what the players have faced during spring training. 

The Cubs’ spring camp is in Sloan Park, Mesa, Arizona. It’s usually around 79 degrees in early and mid-March. Alex Bregman and the team had to play through the scorching heat, as the Phoenix area recorded an average high of 85.9 degrees during that time. The authorities even moved some of the games to the evening as the heat during the afternoon was too extreme for playing conditions. 

This is what Bregman referred to in his postgame chat. He could have easily put it on the drastic changes, but the 32-year-old took the high road. And this is exactly what the club and the fans expect from the marquee player.

The three-time All-Star joined the Cubs this season after a single season with the Red Sox. Apparently, Chicago has wanted to rope in Bregman previously as well. This time, they didn’t hesitate to offer one of the largest deals for the 2x World Series winner. He signed a 5-year, $175 million contract with the team. 

Since then, Bregman has been one of the key figures in the clubhouse and has been described as a “transformative presence” by the front office.

The only two runs scored by the Angels in Tuesday’s game came from Alex Bregman not being able to glove the ball. But it doesn’t mean he was defensively poor. Bregman caught a 111.5 mph line drive off Mike Trout in the 3rd inning. 

Coming off a disheartening performance and addressing the core problem shows character. That’s exactly what Alex Bregman did. But his words echo the urgency for the Cubs in the early season.

Cubs quiet night at the plate adds weight to Bregman’s confession

The Chicago Cubs had a roller coaster ride in the first five games of this season. Unfortunately, it had more downs than ups as they have lost three games so far. The first three were against the Washington Nationals, and Chicago registered only one win. 

They suffered a 10-4 loss on Opening Day and a 6-3 loss in the third game. Although they won the second with a good margin of 10-2, they ultimately lost the opening series. 

The Cubs recorded a 7-2 win against the Angels in their first outing, but then suffered a shutout defeat in Tuesday’s game. The third game is scheduled for April 1, and with the series tied at 1-1, the Cubs might be looking at a losing series streak at the very beginning of 2026.

Now, offensively, the Cubs haven’t been poor with 29 runs in total. There are only six teams that have scored more in this regular season. But the point is, Chicago has secured only two wins so far. And the latest defeat has raised some serious concerns. 

The Angels managed to hold them off to only four hits in nine innings. In comparison, the LA side managed only five hits in total, but they scored two runs.

Bregman himself hasn’t been super productive so far. He has had 21 at-bats in five games and has only four hits. However, he has scored two home runs in those four hits. This means that despite a .190 batting average, half of his hits have been home runs. 

The biggest concern isn’t hitting. It’s the inconsistency that has cost three games so far. It’s the missed opportunities that the team has to focus more on. The Cubs aren’t short on firepower, but they need better execution regularly.

That’s why Alex Bregman’s confession carries more weight for the Cubs. This is the first time they have lost without scoring a run in 2026. But they have already proved their offensive potential. If the team can translate this accountability into action, they might be able to avoid a back-to-back series defeat.