Bergman was a competent hitter and a defensive specialist who was traded by the Yankees to Houston after the 1977 season along with two players for slugger Cliff Johnson.

Bergman was a member of the 1980 NL West Champions and hit a key triple to win Game 2 in extra innings. He hit .246 over slightly more than three seasons with the Astros.

In the early weeks of 1981, Bergman was traded along with outfielder Jeff Leonard to San Francisco for first baseman Mike Ivie. Bergman was swapped to Detroit before the 1984 season and helped them win the World Series that year. He completed a 17-year career in 1992 with a .258 average.