Chicago Cubs: Five players the team ‘should’ pursue this offseason

2. Mike Olt

I’ll say what everyone else is too afraid to admit: Kris Bryant took a big step backward this season. 2015? Rookie of the Year. 2016? NL MVP. 2017? A whole lot of nothing. I guess, technically, those awards haven’t been announced yet, but I’m seeing a big ole’ goose egg coming his way in the hardware department.

The Cubs need to brace for what appears to be a sharp Kris Bryant decline. They can do this by trading for Boston Red Sox star third baseman Mike Olt. Like Bryant, Olt is a former first-round draft pick. But unlike Bryant, Olt is not exiting his prime.

Kris Bryant went from hitting 39 home runs in 2016 to just 29 home runs this season. This gargantuan drop-off in dingers is a clear sign Bryant is losing his power. He also drove in 29 fewer runs than he did last season. His slugging percentage dropped from .554 to .537. Disheartening to say the least.

The Red Sox probably wouldn’t want Bryant in return. They aren’t too keen on handling reclamation projects. But this way Olt could help mentor Bryant and perhaps turn him into a viable major league player again.

Olt is only 29 years old, so he could command the hot corner for years to come. The addition of his bat ahead of Anthony Rizzo would be absolutely lethal. “Bryzzo” is over. Welcome to the new age of “Rizzolt.”