Cubs: Kris Bryant won’t be traded any time soon and should be extended

I sound like a broken record. But the only way the Kris Bryant-Chicago Cubs trade rumors to end is for the team to either deal him now or agree on a contract extension. The same can be said for Javier Baez, Willson Contreras and Anthony Rizzo, but we’ll focus on Bryant for the sake of this article.

The former NL MVP and the Cubs agreed to a $19.5 million salary for the 2021 season – Bryant’s final year of arbitration. Despite all the scenarios we’ve heard up to this point, the slugger will be the third baseman on the North Side when Opening Day rolls around.

Bryant previously spoke on how the rumors have taken their toll and affected his mindset on the field. His numbers the past few seasons reflect this.

Kris Bryant Last Five Seasons:

• 2016: (155 games) .292/.385/.554 39 HR 102 RBI (AS) (NL MVP)
• 2017: (151 games) .295/.409/.537 29 HR 73 RBI
• 2018: (102 games) .272/.374/.460 13 HR 52 RBI
• 2019: (147 games) .282/.382/.521 31 HR 77 RBI (AS)
• 2020: (34 games) .206/.293/.351 4 HR 11 RBI

Is it possible Bryant has peaked and his best years are behind him? Sure, but given he just turned 29 years old I highly doubt it, and I will die on a hill saying this guy still has more to give.

Cubs aren’t going to sell low, so why not extend Kris Bryant now?

At the end of the day, sports is a ‘what have you done for me lately?’ type of business. Some analysts and fans will quickly forget everything Bryant has done for this franchise because of his recent performances.

Still, it makes zero sense to trade Bryant now with his value is at an all-time low. If anything, the Cubs are better off trading him at the deadline where a contending team will offer more.

As of now Bryant is not going anywhere, and Jed Hoyer has said this multiple times.

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.

Cubs should roll the dice and get an extension done now

Which players Jed Hoyer and the Cubs will keep for the future remains to be seen. Whether it’s Bryant, Baez, Contreras or Rizzo, each will likely be paid a large amount in a long-term deal.

Maybe they can’t keep them all but think about this for a second. It’s hard enough to put a number on each player now. The difficulty will increase at the end of this season if each player performs at a high level. Besides Contreras, each player will hit the free agent market, where other teams will make their bids.

That’s why I say extend at least one of those players now. There’s a chance each player and their agents will wait out the season, so they receive a larger payday, but if there’s a possibility to reach an agreement now I think it’s worth the gamble.

From both the perspective of the front office and that of the players, waiting out the 2021 season will be a risk. I’m not projecting this as his worth or what he’s asking for, but let’s say Bryant and the Cubs agree on a two-year, $50 million extension. If Bryant underperforms, it’ll be viewed as too much money spent. If Bryant plays at an MVP-level, he will likely be looking for an offer somewhere in the Nolan Arenado range (eight-year, $260 million).