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Cubs: Kris Bryant won’t be traded any time soon and should be extended
Cubs have listened on Kris Bryant all offseason – but have yet to deal him
The Bryant-Cubs saga took a new turn when the third baseman received the following text from an unknown number:
"“Welcome to the Mets.”"
Whether it was a troll or legitimate baseball personnel is uncertain, but the fact the sender had Bryant’s cell number was cause for concern. Bryant quickly followed up with his agent Scott Boras, who spoke with Jed Hoyer. The Cubs President quickly informed Bryant and his team that nothing was going on.
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This isn’t the first time Hoyer has shut down the Bryant trade rumors. Just last week, Hoyer explained the team is currently in no talks with any teams.
The open communication and trust between Bryant and the front office is something that has grown during the offseason and in spring training.
"“Honestly, I’ve really appreciated that and never had that type of security or communication,” Bryant said Thursday. “So that was met very well, and I really appreciate that from (Hoyer) and I let him know that we’re on great terms.”"
That peace of mind is something that is much needed for Bryant heading into the 2021 season. In this age of sports, athletes can hear and read everything about them across all media platforms. To ignore it is easier said than done.
It’s easy to get caught up in that news, but the best way for Bryant to answer his critics is to perform on the field. Nothing will be sweeter for KB than to put up another MVP-caliber season and silence his doubters.
A great statistical season will also lead to Bryant receiving a hefty payday in the offseason. Whether or not Bryant will be signing a contract from the Cubs remains to be seen, but it would be easier and cheaper to do it now with less teams bidding.