Chicago Cubs, Kris Bryant more impacted by Bryce Harper, not Mike Trout

Chicago Cubs: Harper, not Trout the better comp for Bryant’s performance

It’s simple, really. Mike Trout is better than Kris Bryant – and that’s not a knock on the 2016 National League Most Valuable Player. It’s just a simple truth. A better comparison for Bryant in any prospective contract talks would be his lifelong friend, Bryce Harper.

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Harper inked a record 13-year, $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies late this offseason – coming in at a $25.3 million AAV. For argument’s sake, let’s look at each player’s first four seasons in the big leagues (these are averages over each four-year span):

• Harper: .289/.384/.517 – 24 HR – 62 RBI – 24 2B – 132 H – 144 OPS+
• Bryant: .285/.385/.515 – 27 HR – 82 RBI – 33 2B – 150 H – 137 OPS

Oddly enough, both players won National League Rookie of the Year and NL MVP in their first four seasons, as well. And you doubted we were comparing apples to apples here, didn’t you?

The fact that Mike Trout just netted himself $430 million means nothing to Kris Bryant or the Chicago Cubs. In fact, the only deal that will impact talks between the two sides wrapped up a few weeks back.

Keeping Bryant in a Cubs uniform for the rest of his career won’t come cheap – but it’ll be much more in line with the $330 million Philadelphia paid Bryce Harper than the near half-billion Los Angeles shelled out for the game’s greatest player.

Will it come to fruition? Who knows. But there’s money coming off the books and a lack of generational talent coming in free agency (at least in the short-term). Bryant seems to be the Cubs’ best option when it comes to a franchise cornerstone.