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Chicago Cubs: Top players we’ve lost in recent years – #1: Kris Bryant
Last weekend, when the San Francisco Giants, and more importantly, Kris Bryant, returned to Wrigley Field, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place as the Cubs rolled out Bryant’s tribute video. Bryant himself notably was crying and one last time, we all dwelled on the memories of just how much this guy meant to this organization and the fans. The good times and huge moments he had at the plate: walk-off home runs, three-home run games and recording the final out in the World Series are just a few of the highlights.
When KB came up in 2015, the Cubs and everybody else knew they had someone special on their hands. Finishing the year with a slash of .275/.369/.488 to go along with 26 home runs and 99 RBI, Bryant set the Cubs rookie record with those 26 long balls, earning his first All-Star nod and winning NL Rookie of the Year honors.
The following year, Bryant picked up right where he left off, crushing 39 home runs to go with 102 RBI and a line of .292/.385/.554, earning the National League MVP as well as his second All-Star selection. Bryant’s production throughout the 2016 campaign propelled the Cubs to new heights and the team won 103 games, marking their first 100-win season since 1935 and only the second over the last century.
Bryant, a four-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year, National League MVP and World Series champion will always be a Cub as far as I am concerned. The likelihood of Bryant returning to the Cubs in free agency once the season is over is slim to none, especially with Scott Boras as his agent. Of course, Boras looks to get his client every single dollar he can and will test the market accordingly.
Between the Cubs’ recent reluctance to sign high-dollar deals and Boras’ push to maximize what Bryant gets on the open market, it’s hard to see any common ground here. Forever in Cubs fans hearts, Bryant is up there with the top Cubs of all-time and has cemented his legacy in franchise history.