As former NL MVP Kris Bryant works through a service-time grievance with his Chicago Cubs team, it looks like they are attempting to move the third baseman in a trade.
It’s not yet known whether this will come to fruition. What we do know is that the Washington Nationals are reportedly interested in Bryant should they lose star Anthony Rendon in free agency.
Washington just inked fellow free agent Stephen Strasburg to a record-breaking seven-year, $245 million deal. The team’s ownership had previously noted it would be hard to keep both Rendon and Strasburg after each played a huge role in bringing the Nats the World Series title back in October.
Bryant wouldn’t be a bad backup option. The NL MVP back in 2016, he hit .282 with 31 homers, 77 RBI and a .903 OPS last season.
At issue here is service time. As noted above, Bryant has filed a grievance indicating that the Cubs manipulated this aspect of the collective bargaining agreement.
If he wins the case, Bryant will become a free agent after the 2020 season. If not, he’s arbitration eligible the next two seasons.