Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman endured a disappointing 2026 postseason as offensive struggles continued to plague hitters across Major League Baseball.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Thursday that MLB hitters have combined for a .212 batting average during the postseason, while fastballs have averaged 96.2 mph.

Bregman experienced those difficulties during Chicago's brief playoff run, going hitless in eight at-bats. However, his struggles reflected a broader offensive challenge facing hitters throughout the postseason.

Passan shared a video on X, formerly Twitter, featuring Bregman discussing why velocity alone cannot explain how a pitch appears to a batter.

“And you have guys that throw 96. Some of it feels sometimes it feels like 90. Sometimes it feels like 100. And a lot of that goes into like VAA and extension.”

The league-wide batting average this postseason is .212. The average fastball is 96.2 mph. Hitting is hard. In the postseason, it's Sisyphean. To better understand why, we spoke with Joey Votto and Alex Bregman, two of the purest hitters of this generation, for their insight. pic.twitter.com/F47YD2dcU8

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 15, 2026

Vertical approach angle, or VAA, measures the angle at which a pitch crosses home plate. Its trajectory can affect how hitters track fastballs despite identical radar-gun readings.

Extension measures how far toward the plate a pitcher releases the ball. Greater extension shortens its flight distance, reducing reaction time and potentially making the pitch appear faster.

For the 32-year-old infielder, the explanation follows a disappointing finish to an otherwise productive season. The San Diego Padres swept the Cubs at Petco Park, winning 8-0 on September 29 and 4-1 the following night.

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Chicago's offense managed just one run and eight hits in the series, with Bregman going 0-for-8 with four strikeouts and no RBIs.

San Diego's relievers covered the final 5 2/3 innings of Game 2, allowing two hits and no runs vs. the Cubs.

During the regular season, however, he posted 161 hits, 28 home runs, 93 RBIs, a .265 average and an .819 OPS.

His remarks describe a broader pitching challenge rather than establishing a specific cause for his hitless series. Although Chicago's season is over, the league-wide hitting struggles Passan highlighted remain relevant as the championship series continues.