Chicago Cubs Rumors: Kris Bryant injury signals trade is close

Just two days ago, Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was pulled in the fifth inning of a game versus the St. Louis Cardinals.

Bryant was pulled due to “hamstring fatigue,” we later learned. That, in and of itself, was an odd descriptor and set off a small alarm in some fans’ heads.

What some may also remember is that same day, a report came out via ESPN’s Jeff Passan which stated that Bryant was “as good as gone.” The rumor mill then began churning faster than ever.

Isn’t it funny that, in the same day that report came out, Bryant was pulled in the fifth inning against the Cubs’ bitter rival? Something isn’t quite right.

It could be a giant coincidence, but the Chicago Cubs may also be very close to a Kris Bryant trade.

If Bryant was truly suffering from tightness and fatigue in his hamstring, then pulling him was the right call. But, he’s also sat out since that night and was not in the lineup for the second straight game.

Now, the reports are not only fatigue, but “heavy legs.”

This is getting stranger by the day, and with the MLB trade deadline right around the corner, one has to ask a few questions.

Is Bryant actually hurt? Or, are the Cubs very close to a trade and unwilling to risk a legitimate injury?

If he is hurt, then the Cubs have to be holding him out because they are close to a deal — right? David Ross says he is not willing to risk Bryant’s health, and that’s the right call. But, for something that seems so minimal, so trivial… have we, in fact, witnessed Bryant’s last game in a Cubs uniform? The answer to that question could wind up being an unfortunate, yet understandable, “yes.”

Bryant has had a mostly strong season, all things considered. He has bounced back from a couple of down years in a big way, reverting to the guy Chicago once saw finish as the NL MVP.

On pace for over 30 home runs and nearly 100 RBI at this point, Bryant is slashing .264/.346/.489 through 86 games in 2021. His OPS is also up nearly 200 points since 2020, sitting at .834.

One of the top rumored candidates to land Bryant is the New York Mets, and they make perfect sense. The question, still, is whether or not the Cubs have named their price for the All Star. Depending upon the price, the Cubs could net a pretty decent return for Bryant. But, Thursday morning, ESPN’s Buster Olney stated Chicago had yet to give a firm asking price for guys like Bryant and Craig Kimbrel.

It seems no one knows the truth at this point, but many of these rumors and reports are starting to add up. Bryant appears to be out, and very soon.