Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2021 MLB season, meaning he can sign up with any team he wants.
Aware that they may end up with nothing, the Cubs could revisit talks with the Boston Red Sox before that happens.
It turns out that the Cubs and the Red Sox held discussions earlier this year for the 2016 National League MVP, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reported citing unnamed sources. However, nothing prospered from those talks.
“Two sources confirmed the Red Sox and Cubs discussed Bryant this summer, but those talks faded,” Gonzales stated. “Rafael Devers is the incumbent at third base, which means the Red Sox would envision Bryant as a left fielder.”
There is no doubt that Bryant would be a big addition to the Red Sox, assuming that both sides revive negotiations. But Boston appears to be well-off with their offense, meaning they do not necessarily need the 28-year-old outfielder in the mix, NBC Sports reported.
Bryant is a quality hitter but has struck out a lot. He has 29 home runs across his name along with 69 RBI, 64 walks, and 129 strikeouts over six major league seasons. He is also a career .280 hitter.
But considering Boston ranked No. 1 in the American League in batting average last season, it may be best for the team to address other areas of concern.
Pitching is seen as their Waterloo, and critics feel that this is the department where they should focus on.
If the Red Sox pass on Bryant, he is not short of options. Another team that could swoop in is the Washington Nationals.
It should be noted that this is not the first time the Nationals have been linked to Bryant.
According to Jon Morosi of the MLB Network citing sources, the Nats are considering a trade for Bryant and DJ LeMahieu.
However, there was no mention of who Washington could offer in exchange for Bryant. Their farm team has been waning the past years due to previous trades and prospect graduations.
Compared to the Red Sox, the Nationals seem like a plausible landing spot. However, they need to come up with a good package to convince the Cubs to a deal.
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