Kris Bryant trade is officially a dud after the Chicago Cubs' latest roster move

The Chicago Cubs announced that Caleb Kilian was designated for assignment after the team traded for Tom Cosgrove of the San Diego Padres on Thursday for cash considerations. This was to make room for Cosgrove on the 40-man roster. Kilian, 27, is currently on the IL and was with Triple-A Iowa, having made one appearance this year.

Kilian pitched in 27.1 innings with the Cubs between 2022 and 2024, posting a 9.22 ERA, 2.01 WHIP, 5.32 FIP, 21 strikeouts, and 20 walks in eight appearances. He was once the organization's top pitching prospect after being acquired by the Giants along with Alexander Canario in 2021 for Kris Bryant.

Unfortunately, it looks like the Bryant trade will not garner future value for the organization, though this has seemed obvious for some time now. Canario was traded away to the Mets (and is now with the Pirates) for cash considerations in Spring Training, and Kilian just didn't find it in the Majors with the Cubs. He looked like a promising arm when he pitched in the Giants system and in his initial minor league stint with the Cubs organization, but his little time in the Majors was rough. He had major command issues and has had some recent injury issues, including missing most of last year with a shoulder injury, though he pitched in two games late last September.

Kilian's most memorable moment was his MLB debut on June 4, 2022, at Wrigley against the Cardinals when he struck out six in 5.0 innings.

The Kris Bryant trade was a swing-and-miss for the Cubs

It's too bad the trade of former MVP, All-Star, and World Series champion Kris Bryant did not pay off. While no longer the guy he was, Bryant was still an All-Star caliber player in 2021, and the hope was to at least better set up for the future by dealing him. These trades are absolute crapshoots, however, you win some and lose some, no matter how valuable the player is you're trading away. The 2021 trade market was not as robust as other years, though it still felt like a somewhat light return to many.

As for Kilian, hopefully, he will find his way. Maybe another team takes a crack at him and he finds something, or he bounces around for a bit. He could pass through waivers and return to the organization if the Cubs don't grant his release, but even if that happens, he will be on the 40-man. Time will tell, but best wishes to him going forward.