Cubs Rumors: A Kris Bryant to the Red Sox trade seems very unlikely

With two-plus months until the July 30 trade deadline, it might seem early to talk through Cubs rumors, but they’re already swirling. In a recent mailbag for The Athletic (subscription required), Jen McCaffrey touched on the possibility of the Boston Red Sox trading for Kris Bryant this summer.

Bryant, of course, is in the midst of a monster season – with a 1.047 OPS, the second-highest mark in the Senior Circuit. His 13 doubles, .650 slugging percentage, 190 OPS+ and 76 total bases are all tops in the league, as well. As if that weren’t enough to boost his trade value this summer, he’s displaying a dazzling defensive versatility, playing all three outfield positions and both corner infield spots.

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McCaffrey, who covers the Sox for The Athletic, penned a two-part mailbag with readers and one specifically asking about what it would take for Boston to land Bryant ahead of the deadline. You should definitely read through her whole piece – but the long and short of it is she thinks it’s unlikely given who now runs the Boston front office.

Chaim Bloom, the former Tampa Bay executive, looks like he’s wanting to follow in the footsteps of Andrew Friedman, who left the Rays and has turned the Dodgers into a big market juggernaut with through an impressive combination of talent development and financial power. In other words, Bloom is very unlikely to trade the future for a few months of Bryant, who hits free agency this winter.

I can’t say I blame Bloom. He’s only been at the helm in Boston since late 2019 – and last year handcuffed his ability to really shape the roster in substantive ways. According to MLB Pipeline, his farm system ranked 24th in the league heading into the season. So there’s work to be done and pilfering what little prospect capital the organization has is hardly a recipe for long-term success.

Cubs Rumors: There is a potential exception for a Kris Bryant-Red Sox trade

The one disclaimer McCaffrey notes is if Bloom and the Red Sox front office felt they could extend Bryant before the end of the season. That’s not totally out of the realm of possibility. Bryant’s father, Mike, was actually drafted by Boston in the ninth round of the 1980 MLB Draft – so there are definite family ties to the area.

You can’t blame the reader who asked about the Cubs slugger for being interested. The Sox are far outperforming expectations early this season, leading the loaded American League East with a 22-14 record heading into action Tuesday. But given the front office’s focus on the future, it’s hard to see a path forward for a Kris Bryant to the Red Sox trade at this time.