Kris Bryant Stats

The Chicago Cubs avoided salary arbitration on Friday with third baseman Kris Bryant ($19.5 million) and shortstop Javier Baez ($11.65 million) by agreeing to one-year deals. Bryant battled through injuries in 2020 that limited him to 34 games. He hit just .206 with four home runs, while Baez also struggled by hitting .203 with eight home runs in the shortened season. Bryant, 29, is entering his seventh season with Chicago and is set to become a free agent after the 2021 season, making him a prime trade candidate because he's unlikely to sign a contract extension. Baez, 28, is more likely to stick with the Cubs in the long term after negotiating an extension last March before the league was shut down by COVID-19. Catcher Willson Contreras ($6.65 million) and pitcher Zach Davies ($8.6 million) also avoided arbitration.

yesterday

The Chicago Cubs continue to listen to trade offers for third baseman Kris Bryant and catcher Willson Contreras, despite sending starting pitcher Yu Darvish to the Padres and clearing $21 million from the 2021 payroll. The Los Angeles Angels make sense as a trade partner for Contreras due to manager Joe Maddon's familiarity with the backstop from his time in Chicago. Bryant can become a free agent after the 2021 season, while Contreras is under club control for two more years. A Bryant trade could happen as soon as this weekend, according to SNY's Andy Martino. The Mets discussed Bryant before trading for shortstop Francisco Lindor and starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco on Thursday, but the two sides haven't talked in several weeks. Chicago is looking more towards the future while attempting to cut payroll heading into the 2021 season.

7 days ago

The New York Mets have discussed third baseman Kris Bryant with the Chicago Cubs recently. The Cubs like one of the Mets top prospects in catcher Francisco Alvarez, but president Sandy Anderson said on Thursday that he isn't trading any top prospects. New York traded away infielders Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez, right-hander Josh Wolf and outfielder Isaiah Greene, their Nos. 9 and 10 prospects, in order to get shortstop Francisco Lindor and starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco on Thursday. Alvarez is the team's No. 2 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Bryant, 29, played just 34 games in 2020 and had a career-low .644 OPS, but he was the National League MVP in 2016 and had a .901 OPS in his first five seasons. The Cubs could continue to shop Bryant, who will be a free agent after the 2021 season, but a market hasn't really developed for him. The Mets blockbuster trade on Thursday likely takes them out of the mix for Bryant, even though he'd be an upgrade at the hot corner over J.D. Davis.

8 days ago