The one problem for Kris Bryant’s future on the North Side

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 21: Kris Bryant #17 of the Chicago Cubs warms up before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field on August 21, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 21: Kris Bryant #17 of the Chicago Cubs warms up before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field on August 21, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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Kris Bryant’s future is uncertain in Chicago, and there is one problem for him if he wants to stay in a Chicago Cubs uniform.

Kris Bryant has been dangled in trade talks throughout the offseason, but according to 670 The Score he “would like to stay with the Chicago Cubs for his entire career.”

Look, Bryant is one of the best third basemen in the game. He has already won a Rookie of the Year, a National League MVP, and is a three-time All-Star along with being a key part of the 2016 World Series win.

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But what comes with that is a very hefty price tag–and perhaps more money than the Cubs are willing to give him. That is the only problem for Bryant’s desire to stay in Chicago.

The history between the front office and Bryant has been a little rocky since he reached the big leagues. Bryant could make the argument that the Cubs held him down too long in Triple-A so that they can could get an extra year of service time for him.

Then, he has already rejected an offer from Cubs ownership that was around $200 million, which means that there is little to no chance they would be able to extend him before he hits free agency in two seasons.

So while Kris Bryant wants to stay in Chicago for the remainder of what will be a successful career, it takes two to tango and the Cubs might not want to dance with Bryant despite his importance to their organization.

The more likely avenue in my mind is that the Chicago Cubs can wait until the trade deadline to see if the team is in the postseason picture and if not then that is when they can hope a team gets desperate like the Dodgers did with Manny Machado in 2018 and offer them a package that Chicago cannot refuse.

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Spring Training starts next month, so as the days pass so does the likeliness of Kris Bryant being traded come Opening Day.