Chicago Cubs unlikely to trade Kris Bryant during the season

Under normal circumstances Kris Bryant would be a top trade candidate, but the Cubs may not make a move until the offseason.

If this were a typical year and MLB season, the trade deadline would be 10 days away. But a COVID-19 forced 60-game season is starting this week, with the trade deadline coming Aug. 31 instead. So many teams will be keeping guys they’d ordinarily look to trade, as the Chicago Cubs might do with Kris Bryant.

As he nears the end of arbitration eligibility and the Cubs have professed the notion of financial responsibility, Bryant has become a popular trade candidate. The decision on his service time grievance came in January (he lost), and Bryant’s under team control through the 2021 season. Still, he could be on the move soon.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com made a list with one trade candidate for all 30 teams as the season nears. Bryant is the guy for the Cubs, but it seems unlikely to happen during the season.

"Bryant is headed for his fourth and final year of arbitration, meaning he would be available for two pennant races and postseasons if he’s dealt before Aug. 31. Bryant is a more likely offseason trade candidate, though an overwhelming offer could tempt Chicago to move the former MVP depending on the Cubs’ place in the standings. It should be noted that Anthony Rizzo, Javier Báez and Kyle Schwarber are also slated to become free agents at the end of the 2021 season, and the Cubs probably won’t end up re-signing all of them."

As Feinsand noted, Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez and Kyle Schwarber are also headed for free agency after the 2021 season. All four, counting Bryant, are unlikely to be re-signed. Bryant seems sure to command the biggest contract of the foursome, so he is easily tabbed as the least likely to be re-signed.

In this short MLB season, no one truly can lock down what to expect. The Cubs are better off keeping the band together for the 60-game sprint that’s coming, then evaluating things during the offseason. The list of suitors for Bryant will surely be longer then too.