Chicago Cubs: Kiss that 2021 World Series win goodbye
There is so much to unpack here. Bryant is angry over the service time issue; Scott Boras never allows extensions and always wants his players to test the market; KB wants a billion-dollar deal and already turned down an extension for (fill in the blank); so he’s going to leave after 2021, and we won’t get anything.
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No, Bryant is not angry at the Cubs over the service time issue. His grievance was all about the CBA service time provision, not the Cubs. If he were mad at the Cubs, we’d know it by now. Want to see what angry at your front office looks like? Google “Nolan Arenado is mad at the Rockies.”
Plus, people seem to think it’s some kind of catastrophe if KB hits 2021 in his last contract year. So what? The Washington Nationals went into 2019 with Anthony Rendon, Stephen Strasburg, and Ryan Zimmerman in the final year of their contracts.
Now think for a minute. If the Nats had done what fans and writers are saying the Cubs should do with Bryant, the Nats would have traded Rendon and/or Strasburg back in 2017. Kiss the 2019 World Series win goodbye.
Then after winning the 2019 World Series, the Nats resigned Strasburg and Zimmerman. See, not that difficult.
Chicago Cubs: An extension is possible
Bryant and Boras have said they are open to extension talks. But I don’t think the Cubs will extend anyone until after the 2020 season. First: they want to stay under the 2020 CBA threshold of $218 million. Second: the Cubs will have greater financial flexibility after this season. Three: I believe Theo and the gang want to see who steps up this season.
So what could a Bryant extension look like at the end of 2020? Arenado ($32.5 million AAV), Rendon ($35.0 million AAV), and Machado ($32.0 million AAV with the signing bonus) all have seven to ten-year deals. I could see an offer of 8 years between $29-$30 million AAV. Add in a couple of opt-outs and maybe an NTC, and I think you’re rounding third, and he’ll be worth every penny.