Even if Traded, Bryant Would Absolutely Come Back – But IS he Being Dealt!?
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 02: Kris Bryant #17 of the Chicago Cubs at-bat during a game between the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 02, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
With rumors floating around a lot of Chicago Cubs players, it has seemed like a forgone conclusion that Kris Bryant would be traded before the end of July. With no extension talks, the Cubs falling out of contention, and Jed Hoyer focusing on the future health of the club, a trade of the team’s best player would provide a large return. But there is a growing suspicion that the Cubs might not move Bryant before Saturday’s deadline.
Early in the month, it seemed Bryant would almost certainly be moved to the New York Mets. But over the last several days, that idea has become colder. Today we saw Mets insider for MLB.com, Anthony DiComo suggest the club didn’t need Bryant.
A gentle reminder that J.D. Davis has a higher AVG, OBP, OPS+ and wRC+ than both Kris Bryant and Josh Donaldson over the last three seasons.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) July 27, 2021
We then saw a suggestion from ESPN’s Jeff Passan that the Tampa Bay Rays were hot on the tails of Bryant.
The Rays talking Max Scherzer and Kris Bryant? The Padres trying for another bat: Joey Gallo?
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 27, 2021
A notes extravaganza at ESPN+ also hits Dodgers/Giants with Max, Kimbrel market, Trea/Jose unlikely to move, the Story conundrum, Mets, Yanks, Seattle and more: https://t.co/dOYc1ZCEY9 pic.twitter.com/Wi0vlrk93o
When I start seeing things like this, it leads me to one conclusion – the Mets have the most interesting offer on the table for Bryant. The Cubs asked for more. The Mets balked, called in a favor from DiComo. Cubs then called in a favor from ESPN. We even heard ESPN’s Jesse Rogers suggest there are scenarios that the Cubs *don’t* trade Bryant.
We are now hearing reports of the Cubs and the San Francisco Giants discussing a deal that would send Triple-A catching prospect, Joey Bart back to Chicago. Bart is rated is the No. 2 prospect in the Giants system, and just entered the Top 100. But even still, this seems a bit farfetched and convenient for the Cubs. Why would a top 100 prospect be included, when it doesn’t seem like any package is big enough at the moment? But… any rumor right now can sound convenient.
Sources: The #SFGiants have spoken with the #Cubs about Kris Bryant, and the Cubs are evaluating 24-year-old catcher Joey Bart as one candidate to be requested on their side of the talks. Bart has a .904 OPS this year at Triple-A. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 28, 2021
The Cubs need to get more value than the compensatory pick they would receive if they offer Bryant the qualifying offer. If they haven’t seen a package offering more value, they’re not moving him. While even Rogers believes, gun to the head, Bryant will be dealt, it isn’t so crystal clear right now.
All of this suggests to me that the Cubs are not seeing what they want, and they’re playing it out in the public. (*now watch he gets pulled early tonight).
Who knows what is going on? Bryant certainly doesn’t.
“I just don’t try to make anything crazier than it is,” Bryant said. ” That’s just baseball. That’s the way that things go. It would be cool to play here my whole career. But like I’ve said, I don’t really control that. Front offices have their agenda and what they want to do moving forward. I don’t know where I fit into those plans. But we’ll find out either today or a couple days or two months from now.”
Whether Bryant is moved in the next 72 hours or not, it won’t change the way he feels about the Cubs, or his desire to stay here. This isn’t just rhetoric, it isn’t just lip service. Bryant would absolutely love to remain a Cub the rest of his career. In my talks with intimate knowledge of Bryant’s personal plans, they have confirmed that he wishes to remain a Cub. He would even welcome a return if he is traded.
“Oh yeah, absolutely,” Bryant told reporters Tuesday at Wrigley. “Like I’ve said, I love this place. It’s all I’ve known. The familiarity of being here and this city and the people make it a lot easier to say, ‘Yeah, of course, I’d love to play here.”
I don’t know who needs to hear this, Tom Ricketts, Jed Hoyer, The Pink Hat Man!? But the Cubs should just stop the nonsense and do everything they can to extend him.
Teams don’t get as much of a return for hitters as they do pitching at the deadline. Why move the most valuable player on the roster for a less than desirable return? I mean, yeah, I get it… “trade him to get ‘something’ instead of getting nothing if he walks.” Well, just don’t let him walk!?
I am telling you right now, the second the deadline passes, call Scott Boras and toss out, eight years, $240 million with a full no-trade. That’s $30 million AAV, that’s right about the area that he will fall around if he hit the open market. It ensures that he retires a Cub, granting his biggest wish of remaining in Chicago – without the threat of a trade. Either way, that is enough to get Boras talking. That’s enough to get Boras to call KB. That might be enough to get KB to forgo free agency and stay here till he’s 38.
