Cubs: Jed Hoyer leaves door open for Kris Bryant

A Kris Bryant trade isn’t a forgone conclusion in Chicago.

Bryant has long surfaced in trade talks for the North Siders, but according to general manager Jed Hoyer, it’s not a certainty that he’ll be dealt after all. A sub-par 2020 season may play a role in this comment from Hoyer, as the Cubs shouldn’t expect a hefty return for the 2016 NL MVP. His injury status and overall effectiveness at the plate last year could scare away potential suitors, especially in a contract year. Why give up significant prospect capital for such an unproven commodity?

Hoyer understands this dilemma, and rather than forcing a trade, is willing to wait for Bryant to prove himself in a comeback campaign.

Hoyer isn’t willing to trade KB for nothing

“I think that’s been treated as a certainty,” Hoyer said, per NBC Chicago’s Gordon Wittenmyer. “Listen, Kris is a great player — he’s a superstar player — that obviously didn’t have the year last year that he had hoped. But when you look at our offense, there were several other players that had similar struggles. I don’t think it should be treated as a fait accompli that [a trade is] going to happen.”

Hoyer maintained that he expects a bounce-back season from Bryant, whether it’s in Chicago or elsewhere. Perhaps this is just a negotiating ploy by Hoyer, essentially telling teams he’s willing to hold onto a trade asset into the season if rival GMs force him to do so. But really, what do the Cubs have to lose here?

The longer the Cubs hold onto the Bryant, the less his value will be. Or at least, that’s been the narrative all offseason long. However, the Cubs shouldn’t take back a subpar prospect package for a former MVP. If banking on him being a top-tier rental by the deadline is the only way they’ll achieve some sort of fair value for him, then perhaps Hoyer’s stance on Bryant deserves more credit.