Cubs: Kris Bryant opens up on trade rumors and making baseball fun again

Despite the money and the fame, professional baseball players are human, too. Kris Bryant opened up about just that.

Bryant’s production has dropped from when he was a once-heralded MVP candidate year in and year out, so much so that the Cubs started shopping him, hoping to get the most out of their 2016 standout while he’s still on a favorable contract. While getting paid to play professional sports may seem glamorous on the surface, deep down the wear and tear of a full year on the road — while underperforming — got the best of Bryant.

“It really got to me sometimes. The stuff I was hearing. The first trade rumors [in 2018] that started to pop up really got to me. I find myself [thinking], ‘Man, is this even fun anymore? Why did I start playing this game?’ Because it was fun,” Bryant told Red Line Radio, a Barstool Sports podcast.

Should Cubs fans be concerned about Bryant moving forward?

Ideally, sports fans would always care about players as individuals, but unfortunately that’s not realistic. Bryant has always carried himself like a professional, and will do so whether he resides on the North Side of Chicago or elsewhere. He’s due for a bounce-back season given all the hardships COVID-19 placed upon athletes in the shortened 60-game campaign. Such a small sample size isn’t enough to declare Bryant on the downswing.

For Bryant, though, it’s just about regaining the feeling of why he plays baseball in the first place.

“I found myself sitting there, ‘I don’t have that joy right now,'” he said. “I’m trying all I can to get back to that place. This year was really rough for me personally, just statwise. I still had a good time [despite COVID-19 protocols and struggles]. Making the most of a terrible situation.”

Such hopelessness isn’t limited to just Bryant, or athletes, during the pandemic. Fatigue has set in, and we must power through as tough as that may be. Perhaps a new season will bring with it the mentality Bryant is searching for, and for us a glimmer of hope and a useful distraction.