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Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant-caliber players don’t grow on trees
It’s hard to envision a scenario where the Chicago Cubs get what they see as fair value for Kris Bryant in a trade – and that makes sense given his skills.
Until the ongoing grievance between Kris Bryant and the Chicago Cubs concludes, there’s little chance the team will be able to trade their former MVP – and his projected $18.5 million arbitration salary.
Even when that finally comes to a head and the picture surrounding Bryant becomes clearer, putting together a deal isn’t going to be easy. Is the third baseman the guy who led the Cubs to a World Series title and four consecutive postseason runs or is he now perceived as can oft-injured piece around the league?
After limping through an injury-plagued 2018 campaign in which he appeared in only 102 games while playing through a nagging shoulder injury, Bryant bounced back last year. He saw his power stroke return, evidenced by a .521 slugging percentage and the second 30+ homer, 30+ double campaign of his career.
There are those who believe Bryant is overrated. They base that opinion on his low RBI totals, despite the fact it’s a single-dimensional way to evaluate a player’s offensive prowess. If you’re Chicago, you know what you have in your former first-rounder, though. It’s time to get down to brass tacks on why it’ll be difficult to trade him and get a fair return.
Chicago Cubs: Too many rumors to keep track of lately
We’ve seen Bryant connected to Atlanta, Texas and Philadelphia in rumors over the last month-plus, in a dizzying merry-go-round of reports. Really, the main club that makes sense as a potential trade partner would be the Braves given their plethora of young talent – but even that hypothetical isn’t a perfect fit.
And, if the latest reports are to be believed, Atlanta has checked in on another of the game’s best third baseman in Colorado’s Nolan Arenado. Obviously, the Rockies would expect a game-changing haul in return for the seven-time Gold Glover and four-time Silver Slugger recipient, but that dialogue undoubtedly has an effect on any Bryant talks.
Plenty of teams would love to add a Bryant-caliber presence to their roster. But, again, it all comes down to two sides coming to an agreement in value and it’s hard to imagine any club valuing him in the same way Theo Epstein does.
If the Cubs trade Bryant, sure, they’ll get some value back. But it’s hard to say if any of those guys will ever have the type of impact he’s had to this point in his big league career. It seems more and more like if Epstein moves on from his franchise cornerstone, it’s to save the nearly $20 million in payroll and get his team firmly under the luxury tax threshold than anything else.
Chicago Cubs: Are they in it to win it or focused on the future?
The Cubs’ current competitive window seems likely to close in the next two years. That is, if the team’s roster construction doesn’t shift dramatically (which seems pretty likely given the state of things).
The likeliest of said shifts? Bryant playing elsewhere in 2020 and beyond. The team could, at least in theory, extend that window in flipping him for prospects. But what message does that send to the team this year? There’s no way you’re replacing his contributions in the lineup on a daily basis, turning to someone like David Bote in the interim.
I’m not saying Chicago can’t trade Kris Bryant and get a return that can at least be stomached. But should that be the bar we set in trading a franchise-caliber player? It seems like the wrong mentality to have – especially when the immediate future of the franchise may hang in the balance.
Next. It'll be hard to evaluate Ross in his first season. dark
The offseason has been quiet so far, but I don’t suspect that will last. Once there is a clear resolution on Bryant’s service time grievance, things could pick up steam quickly and, one way or another, we’ll know what the future looks like.