Duquette: Cubs Have Told Bryant He is NOT Being Traded

If you have read anything I have posted in the last couple of months, I have been very consistent in suggesting the Chicago Cubs will not trade Kris Bryant this winter. Not only have I reported this based on Jed Hoyer’s own words, but I have also spoken with those with knowledge within the Bryant camp. They have all suggested the same thing – he’s not being traded unless the Cubs are blown away.

So, understanding this, the news from Jim Duquette on MLB Network Radio isn’t really news, it is just validating what myself and other Cubs media or bloggers have been saying all along.

Jim Duquette said on MLB Network Radio that Kris Bryant has been told by the Cubs that he's not getting traded unless they get a "sweetheart-type" offer from another team.

— Josh Finkelstein (@JoshFink313) January 27, 2021

This reinforces an idea I put out there over the weekend. The Cubs are carefully competing in 2021, without overextending themselves, with the idea that they can add talent in the offseason to get them from this window to the next. There is enough talent, and the Cubs have enough salary flexibility (as described in that article) to make a huge splash in next year’s free agency.

Back in December, Hoyer suggested that the Cubs have big plans for Bryant in 2021. When I reached out to Bryant’s camp, they too have consistently dismissed any current rumor and have suggested they would be surprised if Kris was traded. Now, this doesn’t mean that someone like the New York Mets or Toronto Blue Jays can call Hoyer tomorrow with a blow-away deal. Both teams have pieces that are attractive and can offer assets that will help the Cubs today and tomorrow.

I would be extremely surprised if the Cubs do trade Kris this offseason. There is still a chance that they do something at the trade deadline, but even then seems a little farfetched. I don’t say this as a Bryant fan (which I absolutely am) but as a value proposition.

The Cubs will very likely contend for the NL Central title. There hasn’t been a team that has gotten better in the division, and even with several question marks in the Cubs rotation, this team will have the offensive firepower to be competitive. As long as the Cubs are competitive, they will do what they can to remain competitive. Now, that doesn’t mean they will make a trade major prospects for a rental, but it does mean they likely will not trade a core player without bringing in someone that will help in 2021 and prospects for the future.

With some of Bryant’s perceived value diminished over the last season, the Cubs won’t bring in the monster haul that would make sense in a Bryant trade. This suggests the best route for the Cubs to go is to retain Bryant – even throughout the entire season.

Look, the Cubs have been looking at prospects that are five or more years away from an MLB roster – if they make an MLB roster at all. Bryant – like it or not – is a generational type of talent when he is healthy. Only getting a couple of 18-yr olds to round out a Single-A roster for two or more years, isn’t the return a team should get for someone like Bryant. Plus, as should be expected, is Bryant returns to his typical self.

If that is the case, the value of Bryant remaining on the club – even with the risk of losing him to free agency – is better than trading him for far-off prospects that might rank in the 15-to-30 range in the organization.

The real plan here should be making every effort to sign Bryant. There is more precedent for a player to accept a one-year “mini-deal” for the next season, especially if there are limited fans allowed in ballparks. While, I have explained that teams don’t necessarily pay players with ticket revenue as much of their value and revenue are through TV and other means, missing out on $85 million in revenue forces changes to the books. If Bryant doesn’t completely regain value in 2021, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him sign a one-year deal (maybe with an option) for a high AAV and bounce back after the 2022 season.

So, the KB story isn’t closed here in Chicago and there will be several more months of rumors. But, just understand, it is HIGHLY unlikely that the Cubs trade Kris this winter. So, perhaps it’s time for the non-KB clan to start rooting for him because if the Cubs compete in 2021 he will be a major reason why.