Scorching hot Bregman at his best as Astros win 7th game in a row

ST. PETERSBURG -- Alex Bregman finished fifth in American League Most Valuable Player balloting in 2018 and came in a close second to Mike Trout in the following season, during which he posted a career-best 1.015 OPS and hit 41 homers with 112 RBIs. His 19 career playoff home runs are tied for the sixth-most in Major League history.

The back of Bregman’s baseball card is filled with huge numbers and impressive accomplishments, but the red-hot tear he’s currently on might be the best version of Bregman yet. At least he thinks so.

“I feel like I’m swinging it as good as I ever have in my career,” the 30-year-old third baseman said.

Bregman went 3-for-5 with a double and homered in his fourth consecutive game, as well as making a nice sliding catch in foul territory in support of starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi to lead the Astros to their season-high-tying seventh consecutive win, 3-2, over the Rays on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.

“I feel like I learned a lot over the last few years, and I feel like I’m just trusting the work we’re putting in pregame,” Bregman said. “I feel really good.”

Bregman, who had a .539 OPS and one home run for the season through May 11, has completely turned things around in the last couple of months and has led the charge for the Astros, who have opened up a 1 1/2-game lead in the AL West over the Mariners. Houston (64-55) is a season-high nine games over .500. The club was 10 games behind Seattle on June 18.

“It’s been a hell of a last two months,” Bregman said. “We’re playing good. Obviously, I started kind of slow but learned a lot. I feel like I’m still young in my career and learning. I learned a lot about the swing, about what works for me and what doesn’t. I feel good.”

Bregman is batting .432 (16-for-37) with four doubles, five homers, eight RBIs and 12 runs during his eight-game hitting streak. His hot streak goes much longer than that, though. He’s slashing .305/.357/.540 with 15 homers and 38 RBIs in 66 games since May 26, during which the Astros are 41-26.

On Monday, Bregman was named AL Co-Player of the Week with teammate Yordan Alvarez.

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“He’s just found his groove,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “His swing is right, and there’s a level of confidence, which he never lacks, but right now he’s putting [on] some good swings.”

Making his third start since coming to the Astros in a trade last month, Kikuchi held the Rays to one run on three hits in 5 2/3 innings. Houston is 3-0 in games he’s started since the club acquired him from Toronto for three prospects at the Trade Deadline.

“He’s been incredible,” Bregman said. “He’s consistent, a hard worker, a great teammate. All the guys in here love him. He goes out and competes every time he takes the mound. We’re very fortunate to have him.”

In three starts with Houston, Kikuchi is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings. He’s allowed just 10 hits and six walks. Two of his starts have come against the Rays, and he’s 6-2 with a 3.47 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings in his career against Tampa Bay.

“It’s easy when you have great teammates, you can always ask for advice and opinions. And also [the] coaching staff and the analytics guys, they’ve really helped me in terms of what pitches I should throw, the location I should be throwing,” Kikuchi said. “Getting all that information from those guys has really helped.”

Bregman even chipped in one of the best defensive plays of the game when he ran down a pop foul off the bat of Josh Lowe in foul territory and made a sliding catch to start the fifth.

“It was a huge play by Bregman there,” Kikuchi said. “Not just him, but the outfielders and infielders, they’ve all been playing fantastic defense, so it’s pretty easy to pitch.”