The play’s the thing? That’s “Hamlet.”
To play’s the thing? That’s Alex Bregman.
“That’s it,” said Bregman, who has played in all 35 of the Cubs’ games since the start of the season, starting 34 of them, including Monday night’s against the visiting Reds. “That’s what I want to do, post every day. I want to be there for the guys, show up, try and be the same guy every day. Never too high, never too low. Work hard, prepare and execute the game plan.”
Pete Crow-Armstrong is the only other Cub to have appeared in all 35 games so far this season and, like Bregman, has made 34 starts. But six Cubs played in at least 150 games last season, led by Dansby Swanson, who played 159 in 2025 and all 162 in 2022. Crow-Armstrong (157), Nico Hoerner (156), Michael Busch (155), Seiya Suzuki (151) and Ian Happ (150) are the others who were rare absences on manager Craig Counsell’s lineup card.
“Some of that is good luck, good health,” Swanson said Monday. “But that’s also part of the mindset here.”
Playing every day is nothing new for Bregman. Five times in his 12-year big-league career, he has played 155 or more games, most recently in 2023, when he started 161 games for the Astros. He started all 145 games he played for them the following season before playing just 114 games last year for the Red Sox when a strained right quadriceps caused him to miss 43 games from May to July.
Picking up for Palencia
The Cubs went 14-3 while closer Daniel Palencia was on the injured list, a testament to the combined efforts of the bullpen in his absence — including Hoby Milner, the 35-year-old sidearming Texan.
Milner was at his best last Tuesday against the Padres’ Bryce Johnson with as close to a textbook at-bat as you can have against a hitter: three pitches, three strikes, all different pitches, all dotting a corner.
First-pitch: 87 mph slider, top of the zone on the inside corner, called strike.
Second pitch: 77 mph sweeper catching the strike zone on the outside corner, down, called strike two.
Third pitch: 88 mph fastball on the outside corner, up, swinging strike three.
End of inning. One-run lead preserved.
“That was one of those at-bats that you put on your internal highlight film for future reference,” said Milner, who signed a one-year, $3.75 million deal with the Cubs in December after making 73 appearances for the Rangers last season. “Like, that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to hit all the corners with all my pitches.
“It’s rare that you get a perfectly executed at-bat. I’m glad it came in that situation.”
In the series finale Wednesday, Milner also threw just three pitches — sinker, changeup, four-seamer — to strike out the Padres’ Ramon Laureano for the final out of another one-run game. That earned him his first save.
What’s unusual is that Milner hasn’t been striking out many hitters so far this season. Instead, he has been relying on the Cubs’ defense — “the best I’ve ever seen” — throwing lots of sinkers and letting hitters put the ball in play. The goal: quick innings. The reason: so he can be available as often as needed.
“That’s part of the reason I’m valued — my availability,” said Milner, who pitched three seasons for Counsell with the Brewers.”
Milner leads Cubs relievers in appearances (16 entering Monday) and trails only Ben Brown in innings (24‰ to 16).
Walk this way
The Cubs entered play Monday leading the majors in on-base percentage (.353). The Dodgers (.350) were second.
The Cubs and Brewers are tied for the lead in walks (155). The Cubs drew five or more walks 17 times in their first 34 games, a number matched only by the Brewers.
