Chicago Cubs fans are bracing themselves for some big changes during the offseason and trade rumors are swirling around one of the team’s biggest stars.
With the spectre of a still-undecided grievance floating over him, Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant has been the subject of plenty of rumors already this offseason, and MLB Network’s Jon Morosi added more fuel to the fire with a social media post Monday.
According to Morosi, Bryant is among a group of three superstars that could potentially be on the trade block this offseason, joining Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor and Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts.
Morosi’s report says that executives believe that at least one of the three players will be traded this offseason.
Betts has been the subject of plenty of trade rumors as he enters the final year of his contract with the Red Sox, but Bryant’s case has a bit more uncertainty. Bryant is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2021 season, but if a reported grievance he filed against the Cubs over alleged service time manipulation goes his way, he could potentially hit free agency after the 2020 season instead.
There is no indication of how long that process could take, but the years of control the Cubs have over Bryant could dictate how much return they could get for him in a trade.
Chicago Baseball
The General Manager Meetings are set to get underway in Arizona on Monday and will run through Thursday. While not as active as the Winter Meetings, these gatherings could set the building blocks for later trade discussions, and Cubs fans will keep a sharp eye on what Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer are up to during the week.
