Cubs should trade MVP candidate Kris Bryant to … the White Sox

In his first offseason at the helm of the Chicago Cubs, Jed Hoyer listened on former National League MVP Kris Bryant, but refused to sell low – instead opting to bring him back in his final year in hopes of getting a rebound performance and rebuilding his trade value.

To say that’s worked to perfection is putting it mildly as Bryant has been one of the most valuable players in the league this season. He enters play Sunday with a 180 OPS+ and 1.010 OPS – leading the NL with 15 doubles. Bryant has done it all while moving all over the diamond defensively, further bolstering his trade value in the process.

More from Cubbies Crib

• Cubs should keep close eye on non-tender candidate Cody Bellinger
• Cubs starting pitching has been thriving on the North Side
• Make no mistake: the Cubs are very much about power hitters
• Cubs are giving pitcher Javier Assad a deserved shot
• Cubs: It’s time to start thinking about potential September call-ups

Now, we’ve been looking at potential matches in a Kris Bryant trade for months. They’ve ranged from a plethora of NL East teams, namely the Braves, Mets and Nationals – or the reigning World Series champion Dodgers out west. But if you’re looking for the perfect match, you need only hop on the L and head down to Guaranteed Rate Field.

That’s right, the team the Cubs should trade Kris Bryant to is the Chicago White Sox.

Cubs: Kris Bryant to the White Sox makes too much sense

The White Sox entered play Sunday with an American League-leading +65 run differential that also ranks third in all of baseball, behind only the Dodgers and Padres. But their offense has suffered a pair of catastrophic losses already this year in the form of Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez.

Adding Bryant to an already-potent club would give the team insurance as they anxiously await potential late-season returns from both of their star outfielders and, once Robert and Jimenez are back in the mix, the Sox would boast a lineup that’s simply unmatched in the American League.

This is a team that’s built to make a run deep into October. Given he’s in his final year of team control, a Kris Bryant trade wouldn’t plunder the White Sox’ prospect pool. Instead, you’d likely see Hoyer take an approach similar to that of the Yu Darvish deal and opt for a collection of lower-tier prospects instead of going all-in on one guy with name recognition.

Given his versatility and postseason experience and factoring in the injuries the Sox have had to overcome, the simple truth is this. No other potential trade partner needs Bryant more than the Cubs’ crosstown foe – and as bad as it might hurt to see him on the South Side, it might just be the right move for the franchise long-term.