Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant trade with San Diego Padres could work

I still think it’s a long shot the Chicago Cubs actually trade Kris Bryant this offseason, but if they do, the San Diego Padres could make sense.

If I were a betting man, I’d put money on Kris Bryant being in the Opening Day lineup for first-year manager David Ross next March. Why? I don’t think any organization values Bryant the same way the Chicago Cubs do and for that reason alone, I think trading him (and his two remaining seasons of team control) is difficult.

That being said, there have been plenty of trades over the years that no one saw coming. So, in the interest of leaving no stone unturned, let’s talk about a hypothetical Bryant trade.

Part of my daily ritual on the train ride into the city is catching up on the latest from MLB Trade Rumors. This morning, a report from the San Diego Tribune-Review caught my eye – the San Diego Padres are reportedly willing to package prospects in order to improve the big league club this offseason.

Now that’s not a big shock to anyone who’s paid attention to the Padres of late. But given Bryant played college ball at San Diego State and the Cubs’ chances of extending him seem somewhat tenuous at this point, could this be the move that helps the team prolong its competitive window?