Chicago Cubs: The Seattle Mariners are in on Kris Bryant

The Chicago Cubs are retooling. A lot of people think otherwise but they just traded away three players who were cornerstones of their franchise. If they try to win after choosing not to extend those guys, they will appear to have made a mistake. One of those guys traded away was Kris Bryant. The Cubs sent him to the San Francisco Giants for prospects.

The Giants ended up having the best record in all of baseball. Unfortunately, they fell just short to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series. It didn’t end the way that it wanted to but they proved a lot of people wrong throughout the year.

Now, Bryant is still a free agent and is available to sign for every team. As much as people want him to return to the Cubs, that is not going to happen. He might not even stay in the National League but you never know.

One team that is interested in Bryant is the Seattle Mariners. Robert Murray of FanSided reported that the Mariners are one of the teams looking at the former rookie of the year, MVP, and World Series champion. Murray also stated that Bryant is more likely to sign after the new CBA is reached after it expires on December 1st.

The Chicago Cubs and Kris Bryant have certainly had some good times together.

That means it could be a while before we find out where he ultimately chooses but Seattle is an interesting spot. They were unexpectedly awesome in 2021 but fell just short of the American League Wild Card. They are hoping that with some more development to their young players along with a sweet free agent or two, they can end a horrid playoff drought.

Bryant might not be in the argument for the second-best player in the league anymore but he is still awesome. When he is really going, he is a game-breaker. His bat is phenomenal as it can help any team drive in runs.

In 2021, Bryant slashed .265/.353/.481 for an OPS of .835. He hit 25 home runs and had 73 RBIs with 86 runs scored. His power numbers are good but not elite. However, his OPS is very good and could really help a team out if he is used the right way. He strikes out a fair amount but that is a risk you take for a player with an OPS over .800 and potentially over .900.

Another thing that makes Bryant so valuable is his play with his glove. He has the ability to play every position on the diamond besides pitcher and catcher. He is best suited as a corner outfielder or third baseman but he can help all over the place. If Seattle wanted to make a big splash, the former Cubs superstar is a great option.