Chicago Cubs: Looking at the team’s non-tender candidates

Chicago Cubs are already actively trying to trade Kris Bryant

At this point, it sure feels like Hoyer is doing everything in his power to trade the former NL Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player ahead of Dec. 2. With just one year of team control left and a projected $18.6 million salary, Kris Bryant is the guy who seems mostly likely to be moved in the next week.

Bryant, 28, is coming off the worst season of his still-brilliant career. He battled through injuries, batted just .206 with a .293 OBP and hit only four home runs. Knowing all that, though, we’re still talking about a guy who was 37 percent better offensively than a league average player from 2015-2019, evidenced by a .284/.385/.516 line.

We’ve already seen Kris Bryant rumors connecting the third baseman to the Yankees, Nationals and Braves, among others. But if Hoyer can’t get a decent return on the open market, could the Cubs actually consider non-tendering Bryant and saving the nearly $20 million he’s owed next year?

I doubt it. Were trade talks to fail in the next week or so, I suspect Chicago would hope Bryant bounces back and look to deal him ahead of the deadline next summer. But with major payroll concerns in Wrigleyville, the new regime might not have a choice in how this plays out.