6 genius decisions by Chicago Cubs GM Jed Hoyer since 2021

6 genius decisions by Jed Hoyer - Moving on from Kris Bryant

First and foremost, dealing Kris Bryant at the 2021 trade deadline was one of the more heart-wrenching storylines regarding the Chicago Cubs in the last ten years. A fan favorite to many, Bryant won Rookie of the Year honors in 2015 and won MVP the following year while helping propel the Cubs to their first World Championship in 108 years. Though the resentment was evident, Bryant's growing injury concerns prompted the fun office not to resign the four-time all-star, and so far, they were right on the money.

Since being traded at the 2021 deadline, Bryant has appeared in just 144 contests, including only 42 in all of 2022, and he is currently on the IL again this year, recording a WAR of just -0.4 on the 2023 campaign. In exchange, the Cubs received Caleb Kilian and Alexander Canario. Kilian has yet to hit his stride in the big leagues. Canario had a monster year before injury in 2022, notching 37 homers and 97 RBIs on the season. He has resumed baseball activities and will likely continue at Triple-A Iowa once he returns, which gives the Cubs another excellent opportunity to have a solid bat in their lineup. Nevertheless, had Bryant been extended, he would unfortunately only be taking up payroll on the IL now.