Chicago Cubs News: Is it even possible to “blow it up”?

Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant’s stock has fallen

Let’s start with Kris Bryant.

It is no secret the Cubs have taken inquiries on Bryant and tried to scope out his value for some time now. That value might have come as close to a “peak” as possible last season when “KB” rebounded from a poor 2018 with 31 homers and a .903 OPS in 2019.

However, it would hardly be a surprise if evaluators have soured significantly on Bryant. He dealt with injuries yet again this season, posting a .644 OPS in just 34 games while also ranking in the bottom 20 percent in both average exit velocity and hard-hit rate, per Baseball Savant.  Not to mention, he also ranked in the bottom 20 percent in terms of outs above average.

Of course, the most pressing issue is Bryant will be a free agent after the 2021 season. Teams are unlikely to offer the Cubs a haul for a player who–recently–has struggled to stay healthy and have sustained success, particularly in a walk year.

This is not to say the Cubs will not look to deal Bryant. But merely trading him for the sake of getting a return would practically be as bad as letting him walk in free agency and getting a compensation pick in exchange.