Chicago Cubs Rumors: Texas Rangers Writer Hints Kris Bryant Could Be An Option

Now that the Chicago Cubs know they have Kris Bryant under contract for two more years, there are plenty of baseball analysts who believe the team will try and cash in on his value in a blockbuster trade. Texas Rangers beat writer T.R. Sullivan is one of those who see what could be a good match for a trade for the former MVP third baseman.

Sullivan tweeted out his thoughts not long after Bryant lost his service-time grievance.

“Yes…Cubs 3B Kris Bryant lost his grievance. Two years to go before he can be a free agent….yes, the Rangers are still looking for another big bat….yes, Todd Frazier said he us willing to play first base if needed….yes, Jon Daniels is pursuing all trade options…”

Sullivan isn’t saying a deal between the Cubs and the Rangers is imminent. On the other hand, he is suggesting there are different factors that seem to make a deal between the two teams realistic.

The aforementioned Rangers beat writer is someone that certainly counts as an insider when it comes to the AL West team. His tweet hints that Texas has talked about how they could accommodate the acquisition of a new third baseman. On the other side of those rumors is a Cubs organization that has reportedly been shopping Bryant long before the outcome of the grievance was known.

The grievance in question has to do with Bryant’s service time. The player, his agent, and the Major League Baseball Players’ Association all believe in the way the Cubs handled his call-up to the majors. The third baseman’s camp believes Chicago kept him in the minor leagues just long enough to allow the team to have an extra year of control before he becomes a free agent.

In an arbitration hearing earlier this winter, the player’s representatives argued he should be able deemed a free agent at the end of the 2020 season. The arbitrator ruled against him, meaning Chicago has control over the third baseman until after the 2022 season.

Even with that extra year, the Chicago Cubs have been rumored to be attempting to trade him for a massive return they are said to believe to be bigger if they trade him before his “walk year.”

The Texas Rangers have been quite active this offseason, attempting to improve a team that finished 78-84 last season. The organization is moving into a new stadium and is thought to be wanting to field a contender when they do.

Meanwhile, the Cubs have also been rumored to be in contact with the Colorado Rockies. Some believe that if they can unload Bryant, they will make a play for Nolan Arenado — one of the rare players that would be an upgrade over the player currently manning the hot corner in the Windy City.