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Chicago Cubs Kris Bryant needs to be a little concerned. Multiple NL teams contacted about a possible Bryant trade. Is it inevitable?
The Chicago Cubs have to listen to everything and everyone. Especially when Mookie Betts and David Price needed a ‘white flag’ trade to the Dodgers. Is Kris Bryant‘s time on the Northside done? Feels like it, primarily with the Betts trade.
A few NL teams have reached out to Bryant, including the Braves, Nationals, Rockies and Phillies. How do the Rockies get in there? Well, they’ll either deal Nolan Arenado and have third base open. Or they could hang on to him and play Bryant in left field. Could you imagine Arenado and Bryant? Yikes.
The Cubs Bryant and the Rockies Arenado are the marquee trade items. Nothing else. Nothing will stop NL and AL teams from at least having a conversation with them. So it, at the least, see what it will take to get it done.
Bryant hasn’t been the same since the 2017 season. Bryant slashed a .288/.388/.527 with an OPS of .917 between 2015 and 2017. This last two years, he’s slashed a .278/.379/.496 with an OPS of .874. He played 102 games in 2018 due to injury. Last year he was healthy, and it showed, hitting 31 home runs. So are we going to get ‘good Kris’ or ‘bad Kris?’
That’s the issue. I’ll admit, Bryant been good since he got here. So good. Barring the injury-plagued season, he’s been top-notch. But ‘what if?’ What if Bryant has a bad season or gets hurt? What then? So do you trade him for a ‘top tier’ package? Needless to say, it’s bad for business.
Admittedly, Betts is bigger in Boston than Bryant is in Chicago. But that wouldn’t affect Bryant if he left town. I’d say right now, three-quarters of the population of Chicago would be upset. Can you imagine 3/4’s of the people angry? Me neither.
With Betts now traded I have confirmed multiple NL teams have contacted Cubs re: Bryant offering packages of prospects/young players. Unsure if a deal gets done before Opening Day. If one doesn't Cubs probably hang on to him until July trade deadline. Tune in NOW on @ESPN1000
— David Kaplan (@thekapman) February 5, 2020
Bryant needs to stay in Chicago, but that doesn’t seem likely. Now, Dave Kaplan is adept at ‘storytelling.’ And that’s fine. One out of every five stories is true. But Kaplan does seem to know about this. At least that’s what we think.
Bryant may be gone. If not Opening Day, but soon. And this would be a turning point. For Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer, they would bear the brunt of it. I hope they get something in return. Something more significant than the Red Sox.