Cubs News: A look back at five of Theo Epstein’s worst moves

Chicago Cubs: Not trading Kris Bryant prior to 2020 season

At this point, we’re all getting tired of the Kris Bryant trade rumors and wish that, if a trade is going to happen, it would just happen already. With Bryant projected to make over $18 million in arbitration this year, many feel that the team needs to trade him to try to cut costs and to get something in return before he becomes a free agent.

Of course, we went through this last offseason as well. A year ago, on these pages and on many other websites, writers speculated a potential Bryant trade to seemingly every major league team. The Cubs were working within a tight budget and were looking to cut costs, but were unable to pull anything off.

Instead, the team went into 2020 with Bryant as their third baseman, and it was an injury-filled season in which Bryant performed poorly when he actually was on the field. Because of that, the Cubs’ decision to delay what may be inevitable will likely cost them a lot as part of a return package.

For example, it was rumored last offseason that the Phillies wanted Bryant. Alec Bohm, their big-time third base prospect, would have been a nice piece to get back, but he made his major league debut this year hitting .338. The thought of trading Bryant for Bohm seems almost laughable now.

Some people may say that holding Bryant down in the minors at the beginning of the 2015 season in order to reduce his major league service time would be a bad move, but I don’t think so; the team was playing by the rules and did the rational, if not moral, thing. However, a lot of people predicted that the Bryant-Cubs relationship would end badly, and it looks like that’s what’s going to happen.