Kris Bryant blames himself for Rockies failure and it’s crushing Cubs fans

Each time there is an update on Kris Bryant, it serves as a painful reminder that a player who was once the National League MVP while with the Chicago Cubs in 2016 has quickly become an afterthought in the years since. Now with the Colorado Rockies, who have flirted with the 2024 Chicago White Sox this season, for being the worst team in the history of baseball, Bryant is pointing the finger at himself.

Since signing a 7-year deal worth $182MM with the Rockies before the 2022 season, Bryant's time in Colorado has mostly been spent on the IL. Bryant has played only 48 games over the last two seasons, and earlier this year, was diagnosed with chronic lumbar degenerative disk disease. Bryant elected to have surgery that ended his 2025 season after April 12.

Kris Bryant owns Rockies disaster in a way that stings Cubs fans

In the rare times that Bryant has been on the field for the Rockies, he has been a shell of his former self. Throughout his four seasons in Colorado, Bryant has compiled a -1.6 WAR with only 17 home runs. Any Cubs fan who has watched Bryant's downfall likely feels a tug at their heart, and his latest comments to ESPN will likely place them in a glass case of emotions.

"I'm a big part of some of the failures here right now," Bryant said. "It eats at me every day ... I'd rather go out there and suck as a baseball player than sit here in pain every day."

It's hard to imagine that there is much of a future remaining for Bryant in Major League Baseball. At the age of 33, no one would have expected this to be the outcome when he burst onto the scene with the Cubs in 2015. The Rockies will almost certainly look to move on from Bryant after the season, and unless there is a dramatic recovery with his back, it feels like the end has arrived.

More Cubs News from Cubbies Crib