Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant seems more open to an extension – just not right now

Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant is one of those all-around greats

Bryant, 28, is coming off a rebound campaign, of sorts, in which he batted .282/.382/.521 in 147 contests, belting 31 home runs and smacking 35 doubles. After an injury-ravaged 2018 performance, this was a return-to-form for KB, who has been one of the league’s best offensive players since breaking onto the scene five years ago.

Still, he gets a lot of hate from too many fans. Some call him soft because of his past injuries. Others seem to believe he lacks that ‘clutch’ gene the game’s greatest players possess (even though this is a wildly inaccurate description). Then, you have the people who think he’s another greedy, money-hungry superstar; one the Cubs may be better off without after next season when his contract expires. 

All of those assessments miss the mark by a pretty wide margin. His on-field numbers speak for themselves. Since 2015, only two players – Mookie Betts and Mike Trout – have accumulated more WAR than Bryant, per Fangraphs. Time and time again, he has shown himself to be a thoughtful, well-spoken individual off the field – something he demonstrated once again on Monday at Wrigley Field.

He covered an array of topics, including the league’s issues with timely testing and reporting with its COVID-19 protocol, his personal feelings regarding safety at workouts and the recent drawn-out battle between the league and players in talks that culminated in the 60-game format for this year.

But perhaps what will catch most fans’ eye are his brief remarks regarding a potential future extension with the Chicago Cubs.