The Chicago Cubs may have no choice but to trade Kris Bryant

Trading Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant might the the best move.

There is no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the entire world upside down. The sports world has been strongly impacted as play has stopped, events have been canceled and stadiums have been closed. As a result, the country has entered an economic downfall and this is a slowdown that has, and will greatly impact the entirety of Major League Baseball, including the Chicago Cubs.

Whether baseball is played in 2020 or not remains unseen. While it is likely that baseball will be played this year, the season will be drastically shortened, fans will probably not be in the stands and money will continue to be lost. Two months have come and gone without play and many MLB teams have taken measures to cope with the new financial reality. These measures include pay cuts being imposed on the staff and the release of hundreds of minor leaguers.

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The bottom line is that the more time that goes by without baseball being played means the larger amount of funds that have been lost. Unfortunately, the Cubs need money fast and one way this could happen is for players to be traded. Yes, there are quite a few guys who will be entering free agency in the near future, but I believe that the most valuable piece to move before that would be third baseman Kris Bryant. Anyone who kept up with the offseason before spring training knows that Kris Bryant was a big name when it came to trade rumors.

This winter, Bryant lost his service time grievance against the organization. For those of you who don’t know, Bryant argued that his time was manipulated in 2015 by the Cubs after he was called up eight games into the season rather than by Opening Day.  If he were to be called up by Opening Day, he would have reached free agency in 2020 instead of 2021. However, since he lost this case, Bryant is going to become a free agent after the 2021 campaign. Then again, if the 2020 season is lost due to COVID-19, the team gets just one more year of control regardless. 

It’s easy to see the argument that a lost 2020 campaign will diminish Bryant’s trade value. If you’re trading for a player – especially one of his caliber – more control is obviously more valuable. Still, the superstar has a list of accomplishments from over the years that speaks for itself. Bryant, 28, has been in the majors since 2015 – and has put together quite a resume.

Since making his debut, Bryant has been named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player and ranks third in Fangraphs WAR since 2015. We’re talking about an established player who has become a household name across the Chicago area and beyond. In short, Bryant brings a lot to the table both offensively and defensively and his value could bring a needed sum of money to a ball club that desperately needs it .

I’m sure all Cubs’ fans can agree that nobody wants to see Bryant leave Chicago and play for another team. However, it would bring in the cash that the Chicago Cubs need for the betterment of the team and the possibility of contending in the future.