SEPT. 22: The Cubs are optimistic Bryant won’t require an IL stint, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
SEPT. 21, 9:34pm: Bryant is day-to-day for now, though manager David Ross said he’s “worried” about the injury, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com tweets.
8:07pm: Cubs third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant left their game against the Pirates on Monday with right oblique tightness, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic was among those to report. The Cubs replaced Bryant with David Bote.
Any oblique issue to a regular is a red flag for a team, especially for a 31-22 Cubs club leading the NL Central by 3 1/2 games and nearing a playoff berth. It remains to be seen whether Bryant will play again this year, but it’s especially troubling that the three-time All-Star and former MVP hasn’t come anywhere close to his usual form this season. Bryant is hitting a woeful .195/.283/.301 with two home runs and a career-worst .106 ISO in 138 plate appearances.
Despite his uncharacteristic struggles this year, the Cubs obviously still want Bryant in their lineup on a daily basis. They’re on their way to the playoffs, after all, but however the postseason goes, the Cubs will have to decide in the offseason whether to keep Bryant, who was the subject of trade rumors last winter. He’s making a prorated $18.6MM in 2020 and won’t be eligible for free agency until after the ’21 campaign
He struggles with that big frame. He is always beaten up by the end of a season. I though the short season would help. It’s too bad. Hoping for a miracle for his sake this October.
They need to stop putting him in the outfield. Keep him at 3b and fresher.
I’m pretty sure they were better off with him in the OF, otherwise he should’ve just not been playing. 3B is way more demanding than LF
Depends on what the issue is. Easier to play third base with a bad knee than running around in the outfield, but outfields easier with a bad shoulder.
Like stan Lee said, it depends on the injury. Looking quickly at fox sports, Bryant had four lower body injuries between 7/19 and 9/19. His IL stints have been upper body, so that’s something else, but his legs have constantly been banged up along with his back at times.
If you’re legs and back are hurting, do you want to go stand in the outfield for innings at a time then randomly have to go sprint for a ball? Or do you want to stay at 3b, stay more active and loose, and not have to sprint long distances?
3B keeps him fresher? According to what facts? Rhetorical question. Want to keep him “fresher”? DH him.
Brittle, 3B doesn’t make the guy any more or less fresh than LF.
Wild Betty, do you have a massive reading comprehension problem?
You know you owned a troll good when they follow you around and look for your posts to comment on LOL.
I read articles, and sometimes the invalids post comments that catch one’s eye. I wasn’t the only one dumping on your ineptitude but thanks for playing. I guess I’m guilty of laying beatings on you. For that I am sincerely sorry.
Offer him a show and play deal for a extra year to prove he can like the NFL does but
this way he knows his a hero here and we would love to keep him past 21
Unfortunately it’s too late for the Cubs to trade Bryant now. They will get very little for him this off-season.
That’s okay, just dump the salary. Spend the $20 million on Trevor Bauer. Bote has played better than Bryant for the past 1 1/2 years.
He has no trade value. Writing was on the wall he wanted out of Chicago. Should have took best package last offseason.
Lol
Love to see the reds secure that 7th spot or even 6 and play in side of bracket w Braves and cubs. That 1/4 bracket is wide open
Much better than the other half with LA and SD in it.
5 RBI in 122 ABs batting in the middle of the lineup all year. Incredible
Middle of the order? The majority of his AB this season came in the leadoff spot and then he was moved down to #2. He’s only had 5 plate appearances at spots below #2 in the order.
Hard to get rbis hitting anywhere when you hit below 200. 60 ops, ouch.
Yea, I’m not excusing the fact that he only has 5 RBI, it’s pretty pathetic to say the least, but he certainly wasn’t hitting from the middle of the order where the lion’s share of the RBI come from either.
Fernando Tatis seems to do alright with 41 RBIs in the leadoff and #2 spots in the order.
With the DH, leadoff shouldn’t be a big effect. But Cubs’ lineup is off thus year.
Only 50 less RBI than Jose Abreu!
Doubt he gets traded now. Best they can hope for is a rebound 2021 and either trade him then or QO him.
With my respects, I don’t think hiring an owl as a co-editor was a good idea Connor.
Who?
Touché
Being bad is acting up on him again.
This Cubs team really struggles in two departments:
1) The bullpen is a nightmare. It’s been pieced together from a bunch of castoffs. They’ve had decent success with a couple of them, but why is Theo so against investing in decent relievers? The one he finally did invest in was struggling when he was finishing up in Boston.
2) They have too much power and not enough contact. Two players made this team SO much more balanced in 2016. Fowler and Zobrist. They had great bat-to-ball skills and it made up for the strikeouts you get with Baez, Bryant and Schwarber (albeit injured in 2016).
Between this team having numerous players headed towards free agency and an aging pitching staff, it’s time to take a year, sell-off some valuable pieces, regroup and come back stronger for the next run, but pitching development is a MUST, balanced hitting approach is a MUST, and an investment in 2-3 quality bullpen arms WHEN this team is ready is a must.
I’d hold onto Hendricks, Baez, Rizzo.. everyone else is fair game.. Heyward and Darvish probably stay due to contract obligations, although Darvish has made himself potentially very valuable on the trade market if the Cubs decided to dangle him out there for young pieces.
Completely agree!! They also need organizational pitching depth, better defense, and more team speed. Speed on the base paths helps to beat the defensive shifts, which is why I would love to see a trade of Willson Contreras to the Tampa Bay for CF Kieremaier, RHP Shane Baz, and SS Xavier Edwards. That might be too much value coming back, but the Cubs need: to get better in a lot of areas. Basically, as a Cubs fan I wish they switched uniforms with the Rays but kept Javier Baez.
Was this comment written at the beginning of the season because if you’ve been paying attention, the bullpen has rebounded nicely although losing Wick is going to hurt.
Second, Fowler didn’t have contact skills… 154 and 124 strikes is not generally considered a “contact guy”.
You want to hold onto Nico, Hendricks, Baez if his contract demands are reasonable and Rizzo for sure and you can add Happ, Contreras and Wick to that list as well. Darvish and Heyward are going to be here which isn’t a bad thing.
The bottom of the line up looks really good with Heyward and Hoerner because they make contact and generally have productive at bats. They need to add a base stealer IMO or at least unshackle Baez on the base paths.
This season, KB needs to be regulated to DH, he costs us on the field and is not producing at all with the bat. Let Bote, Hoerner and Kipnis handle the second/third base situation with Bryant getting DH looks.
Addition by subtraction. Guy is just another player these days
him not winning his suit may have been a positive in hindsight.
putting up these bad numbers in your walk year, plus an injury to boot?
can’t see any team willing to go 5 years and/or big money.
at least with 2021, he’ll get a big payday (likely same deal as this year, give or take a million), hope to recover, try your luck then (and hope the market recovers by then).
He was never winning that case. It took nearly 4 years to get a trial date. It was all That sleaze ball Boras. I bet KB didn’t want to file any grievance. He’s said many times over he loves Chicago and doesn’t want to leave. How is it a bad thing to keep him in the minors for another week? Everyone does this. He was ready in 2014 tbh.
Boras doesn’t file a suit without Bryant’s ok. He would do that for all players knowing that if he won it would benefit all players in similar circumstances.
Bkras is a manipulative slimy talentless sleazball. He probably talked Bryant into doing it. Boras has wanted him to leave Chicago since day one. Bryant doesn’t want to leave. Why burn that bridge?
123 ABs. 5 RBI. Bryant is (and has been) SO over-rated…
I think the Cubs should trade Kris Bryant to save the money. He’s going to make more than $20 million next year. Dump him onto a rebuilding team that has fewer payroll obligations that might be willing to see if they can catch “lightening in a bottle” and a rebound season from Bryant.
I’d say to the Orioles for RHP Dillon Tate, RHP Michael Bauman, and SS Adam Hall. That’s probably too much value coming back to the Cubs, but this way the Cubbies could put that $20 million towards someone like Trevor Bauer, who is actually worth $20 million-plus. Bote can play third and split time with Happ / Hoerner.
Also, trade Willson Contreras to the Tampa Bay for CF Kieremaier, RHP Shane Baz, and SS Xavier Edwards. Again, that might be too much value coming back, but the Cubs need: more team speed, better defense, more contact, and more pitching. Basically, as a Cubs fan I wish they switched uniforms with the Rays, but kept Javier Baez.
If I were the Cub’s GM, this is what I’d do.
Perhaps Rangers offer Lynn, Heineman, Leclerc, Palumbo, Jung for Bryant, Bote and Contreras.
Without knowing enough about the Rangers system, I would say that’s not enough, as Contreras has a lot of value. If I were the Cubs, I would dump Bryant, but they’d want to get maximum value for Contreras.
But I would be intrigued by the trade. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. The Cubs need to trade from their core for younger players.
Contreras is arguably the best catcher in the game. Do not trade him period.
I’m not against trading Bryant but he isn’t going to get a huge return and given his track record, I would be hesitant to just trade him as a salary dump. The O’s are in no position to trade talent for a one year rental.
I think your suggestion for Contreras is fair but I don’t see either sides pulling that trigger. Wilco is arguably the best backstop in the game. KK wouldn’t be a bad option if you moved Happ to LF and dealt Schwarber, but again, you’re not getting much in trade for Schwarber. The upside for Schwarber outweighs the possible return in trade. You’d also have to get another platoon player because KK doesn’t hit lefties at all, nor does Heyward most of the time (Josh Hader not included).
I agree, I don’t see the Rays or the Cubs doing this trade, but it would start to address some glaring needs on this team. High strike out rates are a part of the game today, but the Cubs do not have enough hitters who have a contact-oriented approach (aside from Rizzo, Hoerner, Heyward). SS Xavier Edwards would start to address that (plus provides some team speed and play SS / 2B, possibly the outfield as well), and RHP Shane Baz would give them a future rotation piece alongside Alzolay, Hendricks, and Darvish, (although Alzolay and Marquez might both end up being relief pitchers, though high leverage relievers).
Yes, you’d hate to trade the best catcher in the game, but in order to address huge, glaring organizational holes, you need to trade something of value, and he has the most value on the team, aside from Yu Darvish right now (although possibly Contreras has more as he is cheap). Baez still has high value despite this ugly season, but the Cubs have less depth at SS organizationally. Bryant has not value. Rizzo as a first baseman doesn’t have much value (but he’s a key organizational leader).
I don’t think they would need to trade Schwarber, as he could DH (as well as play left field on days), and you’re really just getting a bag of baseballs for Schwarber right now, as he’s a replacement level player. Most teams would think of non-tendering a player making that salary and giving the production he provides, but the Cubs can afford him.
Honestly, I don’t see Epstein ./ McCloud trading Bryant or Contreras, because it would require an acknowledgement that their philosophy for constructing this team was flawed. Now, they won a World Series in 2016, yeah!!! But this team quickly unraveled, and now many of their core players have lost value? They built a team on the three-outcome approach, without much regard for defense, starting pitching, contact hitting, or team speed.
Huge Kris Bryant guy here—was probably the real MVP in the World Series considering what he did in games 5, 6, and 7 when facing elimination.
I am however having that thought creep in that he is taking a Mark Prior parallel in his career. Prior had a freak, collision at second base injury, and was never the same. Tried to pitch through it and it led to a flurry of other injuries and he never, ever came back,
Bryant, after getting hit in the head with a pitch earlier in the season–then had a stupid, self inflicted head first slide into first base where he injured his shoulder. Kept playing, never healed 100% and that has just led to a barrage of nagging injuries that he can’t seem to ever be even 80%. Perhaps sitting and getting 100% would have been a better path. Seems like overcompensation and protecting one thing has led to many other things.
And of course when things go bad things like this happen: you don’t where an arm guard ONE time in three years and of course, you get hit square on the elbow with the pitch.
I agree his market value is down, but I’m also sure there are probably 25-27 teams ready to pounce if the return is right.
I really don’t think the market for him is that big, strictly because of the year 4 arbitration salary he’ll command next year. Say he just gets a tiny bump to $20M in order to keep it round, there are a lot of teams who A. Can’t afford that; B. Won’t want to risk that on someone coming off a basically 0 WAR year.
Yeah the upside is there, and if you get 2019 Bryant there is a ton of surplus value to be had, but I think most of the league isn’t going to have the appetite for that salary so the field of suitors is much more narrow.
Not getting close to 300mil albatross contract he and Boras gambled on. The less of these and the more nice extensions of players while actually productive, the better.
Always happens to Cubs. Get a great player and he burns out.
The Cubs should have traded Bryant the minute he said no to an extension or new contract. And anyone believing that baloney about “the Cubs never made an offer” are just naive. There have been extensive talks with Boras. The Cubs ALWAYS want a hometown discount to re-sign their players. Paying Market value for anybody has never been their MO (see Maddux, et. al.). Only difference here is, Bryant’s not worth $200MM or whatever the market says he’s worth (overvalued).
The NL Central is stronger this year than last, and playing the AL Central isn’t a cakewalk. Thus I’m surprised the Cubs are in first place. given how poorly their offense has performed.
Rizzo was batting in the .220s most of the year.
Baez barely over the Mendoza line. Pop is down and SBs are gone.
Not getting much oomph out of 2B no matter who plays there.
It’s been a bad and lost year for Bryant.
Schwarber’s pop remains but BA is still bad.
Happ, though he’s cooled off, has been a pleasant surprise.
Heyward having a decent year with a much improved BA.
Maybe should have played Bote at 2B more often?
Bullpen, especially closing, was in flux most of the year until Jeffress emerged as a reliable ninth inning guy. Relievers are an odd bunch, so should we count on him again in 2021? Kimbrel’s contract is unmovable in a trade, or does it expire this year? Not sure.
Thank God for Darvish and Hendricks (Old Reliable). Lester’s last two starts were good. Gonna need him in the playoffs.
Cubbies are in the playoffs, but I can’t see them going very far. Right now, I like the Cardinals (I’m assuming they make the playoffs.) chances for post season success better than the Cubs.
Got a lot of work to do this off season. Core is getting older. I see big changes on the horizon.
I know Ross has to try to get the “heart” going but the bottom of the line up was performing a whole lot better when the “core” guys were bunched together in the middle and our more contact guys were bunched together at the bottom.
At this point, you need to ride or die with this line up:
Happ
Rizzo
Baez
Schwarber
Contreras
Heyward
Hoerner
Kipnis
Bote
KB’s ass needs to be firmly planted on the bench unless we are playing a lefty because he isn’t hitting righties at all and his defense has cost us too many runs.
Let 5-1 try to string together some hits and make productive outs and let 2-4 do what they do, swing for the fences. Either that or move Schwarber to 8 and Baez to 9 and see if Rizzo can get back to his usual two strike approach. Schwarber is making hard contact but is hitting the ball right at people.
See that the DH stays much more fun to watch old Hypocrites ain’t happy no matter what