Chicago Cubs: Looking at the 3 likeliest teams to sign Kris Bryant

Chicago Cubs: 3 likeliest teams to sign Kris Bryant – #1: Seattle Mariners

Before the Cubs traded Bryant to the Giants at the July 30 trade deadline, the Seattle Mariners made an aggressive attempt of their own to bring the former MVP in. Of course, they fell short in those efforts – but you need to keep an eye on Jerry Dipoto this winter when it comes to KB.

Seattle is a team on the rise, bolstered by one of the best farm systems in all of baseball. They defied the odds (and almost every metric) this season, staying in the postseason picture right up until the final days of the 2021 season. Now is the time to supplement those young pieces, and someone who has experience winning – such as Kris Bryant – could be a big difference-maker for the team moving forward.

Given his versatility, Bryant can spell the Mariners in multiple areas – although given there’s no uncertainty about the DH in the American League, if they so chose, Seattle could pencil him in there every day and just let him do his thing.

Dipoto has very publicly voiced his support for team shortstop JP Crawford, almost certainly taking them out of the running for anyone in this winter’s insane class of free agent shortstops. But Bryant, who is capable of matching several of those players in terms of offense, fits into the puzzle – and could help push the M’s back into the postseason for the first time since 2001.