Cubs star Kris Bryant suffered a concerning ankle injury recently, placing his availability over the final week of the season in doubt. While it seems clear he’ll be limited, if he’s able to make it back at all, Bryant does not appear to have suffered an injury with long-term repercussions.
MRI results have yet to be announced formally by the Cubs. But Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com hears that Bryant has been diagnosed with a grade 2 sprain (Twitter link). That’s enough to sideline a player for a decent stretch, depending upon specifics and pain tolerance. But it shouldn’t hamper Bryant’s offseason efforts.
Losing Bryant at this juncture of the season certainly stings. But the tide had already turned on the Cubs’ season when he exited over the weekend. And it’s not at all likely his presence would impact the outlook in a material way. The Cubs need a miracle with a four-game deficit in the Wild Card race.
If this is the end of the year for Bryant, it has been quite a good one. He’s carrying a .282/.382/.521 slash line with 31 home runs through 634 plate appearances. That’ll set him up for a big raise on his $12.9MM arbitration salary in what will be his second-to-last season of arb eligibility.
ABCD
Hey guys! I’ve been in a coma for the last six weeks. Anything happen while I was away?
chitown311
Nah. Everything’s perfect in the world.
WubbaLubbaDubDub
Kimbrel turned out to be just the piece you needed, just like everyone said when you signed him!!!
avschamps1
While I understand you are trying to be an @$$, Kimbrel was not the only issue the past month.
ScottCFA
Mrs. Kimbrel, is that you?
house71
Comment of the day!
ElMagoN9ne
Ironically the Cubs bullpen era is the best in baseball for September. I think it’s actually the team era is the best in baseball for September.
Kimbrel had 10 days of spring training instead of 2 months. Are you really surprised that he wasn’t as good as he was the last few years?
Priggs89
That was a great excuse 2 months ago…
petrieooo
Just keep telling yourself that next year when he gives up run after run.
twentyforty
And take your crystal ball to Vegas….bullpen arms obviously never have fluctuating performances. Some of you aren’t even knowledgeable enough to play fantasy baseball.
jdan74
Not really. Still a total utopia out here. No one is selfish, and everyone always cares about others, 24/7/365. This is why Socialism works so well. I love having my money forcefully drained from my bank account to pay for other people who always make the best life choices and are never out looking to game the system and scam anyone else. This world is SO great, man!
Geebs
huh? Wtf does this have to do with baseball?
jdan74
It’s called a joke. Loosen up or you’re gonna die early from high blood pressure.
themed
Maybe Bryant will take an at bat next weekend in St Louis and it will be legendary. Like the at bat the announcers said about Rizzo.
greatd
Traded Ls Stella / didn’t go after Brantley or LeMahieu
not making the strike out problem go away.
baseballpun
Man, that would suck if he’s traded and his last moment in a Cubs uniform is getting helped off the field at the end of being swept at home by the team’s arch-rival, all but putting an end to their season.
keysox
It’s going to happen. On paper it looks like the Mets. Could be a blockbuster – say Bryant and Kimblow for Thor and Diaz
Robertowannabe
May not be a bad deal.
jdgoat
Nats could be looking for a Rendon replacement as well.
Cubbie991
They will take prospects for him. Only a couple of teams have a minor league system with the prospects it will take. I wouldn’t touch Thor. But we signed Kimbrel. Gonna be an interesting off season.
ElMagoN9ne
Make deGrom for Bryant. KB isnt going anywhere unless they get deGrom someone as good as deGrom or the same package or better than what they gave up for Quintana
Basically he’s not gonna get traded at all.
petrieooo
Keep dreaming ElMagoN9ne. No way they net someone like deGrom for Bryant.
Bryant’s a defensive liability and his best days as a hitter are behind him. It’s all downhill from here. So go ahead and keep overrated Bryant and see how much he produces after getting a contract that averages over $20 million a year from Theo the brainchild. He will be an albatross hanging around the neck of the Cubs organization for years to come.
FrankRoo
I don’t think Theo wants to make a deal with the Boras Corp. Bryant will get a contract similar to Rendon probably even though he’s not as valuable. Like Harper there is some sort of mystique to the upside potential. Bryant could break out and hit 50 HRs, he could also just be a 2.5-4 WAR player until he’s 34 and then falls off and plays 1B most of the time. Yet he will probably be paid 28-32 mil a year somehow.
twentyforty
Better check his numbers before you start heaving nonsensical manholes. 2016 must have been so demoralizing to you. Can’t wait for you to relive it.
Fred K. Burke
Nope. Jeff McNeil and Seth Lugo Cubs get the 2nd baseman and lead off hitter they need along with a decent reliever
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
Why would the Mets do that again? McNeil followed up a 138 wRC+ with a 143 wRC+ a mark KB hasn’t bested since 2016. He has 5 years of control left. Not sure why would the Mets send him and Lugo to the Cubs for 2 years of control for KB.
Fred K. Burke
The Cubs will throw in Ian Happless to seal the deal. Also throw in Addison Russell for a large New York style pizza.
pullhitter445
Kimbrel has zero trade value, no shot the cubs package him to go anywhere. Another Theo trash signing.
tomh
Why?
tomh
The way I see it is, if a team wanted to spend about 45 million for 2 years of a 3rd baseman they would just sign Donaldson instead of giving something up for Bryant. If they want a guy longer, they would look into Rendon instead of trading for Bryant
Nolan88
Was expecting latest on Bryant to read he’s headed to Philly into play with his bff Bryce.
ChiSoxCity
Philly has nothing to trade.
CFAP
Trade him to STL for Hudson, Wong and Cabrera. That gives Cubs a starter and reliever and a body to play 2B. Edman takes over 2B, Bryant to 3rd and Carpenter to Schnucks to sell more salsa.
Vedder80
This will never happen. Neither team would make the trade solely because if they missed some reason (regression, etc.) the fans would never let the front office live down that they helped their arch rival and got nothing in return.
spudchukar
Cards would never make the deal, cause Wong is a fixture at second and Edman is a star in the making.
CFAP
Anyone who thinks a player like Wong is a fixture at second is foolish. Anyone can play 2B, that’s why I said, “Edman takes over 2B.” I never said anything about trading Edman. $23M the next 2 years for Wong or $1M for Edman? I can think of other things they can spend $22M on.
batty
No, not just anyone can play 2nd. Statements like that show your baseball acumen is below replacement level.
Edman is more likely a Zobrist clone than a fixture at 1 position.
The Cards aren’t $$$ poor. So that “$22M” doesn’t much affect any moves to improve the team. Which, btw, should be focused on the rotation and pen.
spudchukar
Right now I would prefer Edman at third over Bryant.
spudchukar
They have identical 3.5 WAR, the Red Birds would be smarter to spend that $22 mil elsewhere.
brewcrewbernie
If you think the Cubs and Cards would ever make a trade of this magnitude, you’re the foolish one.
keysox
What – Cardinals would make that trade in a NY minute
themed
No way in hell would Cards make that deal.
themed
Besides it’s too boring in St Louis. They’ve only been to the playoffs 13 out of the last 20 years.
CFAP
It likely will never happen, but how do you figure they get nothing in return? A 3B with an OPS+ 36% above league average? A true 2 hitter to hit in front of Goldschmidt.
stan lee the manly
Two years of Kris Bryant for two controllable pitchers, one of which has been extremely good this year and a second with the potential to fix their historical lefty problem and the best defensive second baseman in the league who has started to get on base? Ya no thanks. Cubs aren’t going to find the answers to their pitching problems in St. Louis.
CFAP
God yes! What would baseball teams do without a career .720 OPS guy and his above average glove? How will they win without him? And if you want a 900+ OPS guy, you pay for him. See Goldschmidt. Weaver, Kelly and a minor leaguer
stan lee the manly
I know it sounds crazy, but young players can and do make improvements at the plate and become better hitters sometimes. They don’t need Wong to hit 30 homeruns and 40 doubles, especially with his speed and improved ability to steal bases. All he needs to do is get on base, and he has been doing that very well in the second half. Also, the pitching staff have a ground ball-heavy approach and always have, so having phenomenal defense all the way around the infield is (and rightfully should be) a priority. It’s not a coincidence that their pitching staff has been exceedingly good.
Wong’s not the piece that makes this a bad deal though. It’s the two pitchers. Both are very much going to be a part of the Cardinals future and they need both of these guys a lot more than they need a third baseman. Additionally, the overall body of work from Chicago pitchers this year has been pretty darn bad and they don’t have much coming in the farm to improve that. Why would the Cardinals help them fix their Achilles heel when they plan on contending for the next how ever many years? Makes no sense.
rayrayner
Actually, Cubs pitching (excluding Kimbrel) has been pretty good. 3rd in the league in runs allowed in a better than average hitters park with a defense that is slightly above average.
The NL Central teams are not offensive powerhouses though. In fact, the Cubs have scored the most runs of the five teams. It’s the feast-or-famine offense that is killing them. Median runs scored in wins during September is 10. Median runs scored in losses during September is 2.
stan lee the manly
Cubs sports radio this past weekend said that the Cubs pitching has blown 37 games this year in the 7th inning or later, and that was before the Sunday game. You can’t honestly think that the Cubs pitching has been good this year, all it takes is an eye test.
I apologize I don’t know the source, I was visiting family in Chicago and dont usually listen to any Chicago stations.
cards81
this is actually the only statement that makes sense stan the man is correct…no way would I give up two pitchers…especially Hudson…and help fix their cubs problems…
rayrayner
It has not been clutch, that’s for sure, but those things usually correct themselves. I doubt Strop will be back next year but they’re stuck with Kimbrel. The pitchers with lesser experience (Ryan, Wick, Underwood, Mills, Wieck, and Hultzen) pitched well and look promising for next year. Just gotta hope that Kimbrel can harness his remaining talent and turn it around like Darvish did this year.
stan lee the manly
They need to hang on to Wick. He looks like he’s got something
gregstruth89
Makes you wonder why they are in third? Must be from all the games against the pirates
jdan74
Given the current state of the ball club, how difficult he and Boras have been with the contract negotiations, how difficult they will continue to be, and how much he will want (hint: WAY TOO MUCH), trade him for the biggest haul you can get.
BeeVeeTee
Bryant is entering the final two years of arbitration before he hits free agency. Bryant’s salary for next year around $17.5 to $22.0 million. There might be a team like the Braves, depending, what they do this postseason willing to trade one or two pitching prospects and controllable player like Riley or Camargo for Bryant.
CFAP
After 6 seasons, Wong has a good year. Now the fans anoint him as irreplaceable. I love it. The most over reacting bunch in all of baseball.
cards81
he didn’t get the confidence of playing every day under Matheny…I think everyone saw the potential but he never really was given the chance…this year he got a chance and proved that this fact was correct
CaseyAbell
Bryant had a nice rebound year. 4.9/3.5 WAR depending on which site you believe. As usual, the big difference is due to defensive evaluations. Fangraphs isn’t crazy about his glovework, but they’re not nearly as down on his defense as Baseball-Reference.
The question is whether now is the best time for the Cubs to trade him. Obviously, if they get a ridiculous offer like Trout straight up…well, that’s not going to happen. Bryant is developing a nasty habit of getting hurt, and his MVP season is receding in the distance. The Cubs might be selling low on him if they tried to peddle him now.
My guess is that Chicago will stick with him for at least another season. See if he can rebuild his value. Then they might look to trade him if the team’s window for contention really does seem to be closing.
chicagofan1978
Quick answer, he’s not getting traded. Cubs games won’t be free anymore and he’s extremely popular in Chicago especially with the ladies. No way they trade him in the first year of their new network.
Cmurphy
Over half the Cubs games aren’t free, they’re on Comcast sports net. And he’s no more popular than Rizzo who does a lot for the children’s hospital and Scwarber does huge benefits for first responders. Bryant has ingrained himself with the city other than playing well, when does.
chicagofan1978
Check again. Marquee sports network is the only home of the Cubs next year. Are you a Cub fan cause you should know that
wordonthestreet
I believe CMurphy was replying to a statement suggesting Cubs games were free this year and pointing out they were not. I do not think he was talking about next year.
jdan74
With what ladies? Must be the masculine looking ones with big facial features. They love the soft pretty boys. See his g/f? WOOOF! and Yikes! She’s like a -5.
At least Rizzo’s and Castellanos’ wives are hot.
gregstruth89
Just want to thank the cubs for taking a beating at the hands of the pirates. I didnt think the pirates were going to win again this year. Go cubbies. Can’t wait for the excuses.