Kris Bryant made it clear on Friday at the Chicago Cubs annual Cubs Convention that his longtime friend Bryce Harper would not be joining him on the North Side.
Per a report from Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, Kris Bryant was aware that the first question that he would be asked by Chicago Cubs reporters and fans at the annual Cubs Convention would be about his friend Bryce Harper and whether the free agent outfielder would be joining him in the Cubs lineup.
Bryant was very clear and direct in stating that Harper is not signing with the Cubs. However, he did address his own ability to cover for the Cubs offense in 2019, something injury limited his ability to do in 2018. He said he’s feeling great right now:
"I feel so good. I feel great. I’m doing everything that I can this offseason. I feel very strong. I can’t say enough how good I feel."
Per Bastian’s report, Bryant wasn’t the only one icing the flames of any Bryce rumors. Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon also repeated multiple times this week that Bryant will not be joining the team.
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Multiple Chicago Cubs players had similar responses to the 2018 season, stating that they were all very disappointed in how the season ended and that they are fired up for the 2019 season to exact revenge on the National League Central division for that poor play in 2018.
While many Cubs fans have lamented the lack of moves of the team, the organization enters the 2019 season with its highest payroll in team history, and any moves the team makes at this point will likely be lateral moves, requiring trading of salary in order to make an acquisition to the bullpen or elsewhere on the roster, akin to the trade of Drew Smyly this offseason already to free payroll space.
The issue would be finding where that trade capital could come from, as the prime trade candidates in order to move salary are also members of the bullpen, the area that the team is likely to address if they do make a move.
Coming off of the 2019 season over $50 million will come off of the books, which could set up the Chicago Cubs nicely for what will be an impressive crop of free agents in 2019-2020. For this season, it will be on the shoulders primarily of what’s currently on the roster.