Watch: Kris Bryant admiring Wrigley Field one last time is absolutely heartbreaking (Video)
By Josh Hill
Kris Bryant might have played his last game for the Chicago Cubs, and the emotion of the moment set in after the game on Thursday.
The Chicago Cubs lost on Thursday afternoon but hardly anyone at Wrigley Field was looking at the scoreboard.
All eyes were on the dugout, where former MVP and Cubs legend Kris Bryant sat quietly. He observed the field, talked with teammates, and sat out what is likely to be his last game in a Cubs uniform.
Bryant was scratched from the lineup on Thursday and didn’t pinch hit like many expected him to. It would have been a glorious orgy of emotions: Cubs fans rising to their feet as their World Series hero emerged from the dugout one final time, stepping to the plate to a roar of appreciative cheers and plenty of tears.
Instead, the last image of Bryant is of him in the dugout, looking out at the field he’s called home his entire career.
It was truly an emotional moment for fans.
All signs point to Bryant being traded ahead of Friday’s MLB trade deadline, and the finality of the situation is setting in for everyone.
Fans have been coming to terms with Bryant’s departure for months, as rumors of a trade have been kicking around since the winter. Bryant spoke about the rumors while mic’d up during the All-Star Game earlier in July, giving a gut-wrenching answer to Joe Buck when asked about a possible trade.
As recently as this week, Bryant commented on his future saying he wouldn’t rule out returning to the North Side in free agency.
Simply put, Bryant doesn’t sound like he wants to go.
From his comments to the adoration of fans to the footage of him lovingly looks out at Wrigley Field, it’ll be close to impossible for the Cubs to get anything of equal emotional value back in a Kris Bryant trade.