■ No hard feelings toward Cubs about trade rumors says Kris Bryant.
Bryant sets record straight on desire to stay with Cubs
MESA, Ariz. — A candid Kris Bryant admitted to being somewhat surprised about returning to the Cubs but stressed his desire to stay in Chicago after losing his service-time grievance while also correcting false reports about contract offers and blasting the Astros for their sign-stealing scandal.
During an expansive news conference Saturday that lasted nearly 36 minutes, Bryant elaborated on many topics, including his impending fatherhood and potential free agency after 2021.
“There were trade rumors last offseason, too, and going through that I understand this part of the process as you get closer to free agency and everything’s up in the air,” Bryant said two days before the Cubs’ first full-squad workout.
“I understand it, and I just really try my best to tune it out. It’s really hard.”
Trading Bryant, 28, the 2015 National League Rookie of the Year and 2016 NL Most Valuable Player, might become more of a reality with two seasons left before free agency and the Cubs facing the possibility of paying a competitive-balance tax for the second consecutive season.
Bryant, who will earn $18.6 million this season, concurred with a team source’s contention last winter that he was never offered an extension worth more than $200 million, adding he hasn’t looked at social media much except when friends send him screenshots about rumors.
“I love everybody here,” Bryant said.” I love the city. It’s just part of the game to people. It’s just talk. Whether it’s true or not, we’re just chucking darts at a wall, and maybe something sticks.”
Bryant emphasized he has no hard feelings toward the Cubs after alleging the start of his service time was manipulated in 2015 so that he wouldn’t become a free agent until after 2021.
He said he filed the grievance through the Major League Baseball Players Association as a matter of principle, adding: “My mom and dad always told me to stand up for what I believe in, and I was going to see the process through.”
“There’s definitely no hard feelings, so let’s definitely put that that narrative to bed,” said Bryant, who added he didn’t flip over tables after the ruling.
“I just saw this as a process that is eventually going to help the players in the next round of negotiating, and I was going to be that guy to have the courage to do it. I know there’s going be backlash for it, and I understand it.”
The grievance was filed in October but wasn’t decided until late January. That surprised Bryant, who thought a decision would arrive in a few weeks.
“That took forever,” he said. “Obviously I knew (winning the hearing) was an uphill battle.”
Potential trade partners for Bryant appear to be dwindling. The Phillies are near the luxurytax threshold ($205 million, according to rosterresource.com), as are the Anthony Rendon-less Nationals ($197 million).
The Rangers, who have been frequent trade partners with the Cubs over the last several seasons, have the financial flexibility but not the young, impact pitching the Cubs would seek in return.
That leaves the Rockies ($179 million) and disgruntled All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado, who will earn $35 million in the second year of his eight-year, $260 million contract that includes an opt-out clause after 2021.
A source confirmed that the Cubs inquired earlier this month about the Rockies’ young pitchers before the Arenado spat, but any deal might need to include several players to alleviate salary-tax concerns for the Cubs.
Team President Theo Epstein has stressed there are no “untouchables” on the Cubs roster, but Bryant wouldn’t mind being “in the loop a little bit” about his future.
“I feel like I’ve earned a little respect here,” Bryant said. “It’s just how I go about my business and just who I am as a player and a person to kind of sit down and have talks like that.”
Bryant was even more candid about the Astros’ sign-stealing tactics and said players should have been penalized for their involvement.
“What a disgrace, just watching their apology (Friday),” Bryant said. “There’s no sincerity, no genuineness when it comes to it. I certainly know that if I messed up big in that way, I’d be the first one to let you know just how big of a mess of it was.”
Bryant believes the tactics went back further than the 2017 season and thinks the Astros used buzzers inside their jerseys to indicate which pitches were being thrown.
“If they didn’t get caught, they’d still be doing it,” he said. “They’re only doing this apology because they got caught, and that’s it.”
Bryant even went as far to suggest Astros batters would be thrown at intentionally.
“If teams are going about it the right way, you know if you do get hit and you’re not going after people’s heads and stuff like that, I think they’re definitely going to experience some of that this year,” Bryant said.
“There’s definitely no hard feelings, so let’s definitely put that that narrative to bed.” —Kris Bryant on losing his grievance with the Cubs over service time