It’s been a while (in “offseason time,” anyway), but you may recall that, last month, there was a lot of buzz going around about a Kris Bryant trade being closer than it had ever been. And, some rumors even suggested things had really gotten serious with the Mets, what with a specific prospect name mentioned.
Within a few days, though, that buzz died down, and you weren’t hearing much more coming out of New York about Bryant. Some stray smattered rumors about Bryant, generally, but it kind felt like whatever was there before with the Mets had faded. Maybe it was because of the front office issues, maybe it was because of the failed Trevor Bauer pursuit, maybe it was because Justin Turner was still on the market. Who knows. The talks seemed dead.
Apparently that has changed:
On January 6, we reported that any talks between Mets and Cubs on Kris Bryant were no longer active. That was true at the time. TIL it has changed since. Unclear how likely it is to happen, but there is at least something there.
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) February 11, 2021
To be sure, Martino is not saying there are serious trade talks going on or anything imminent, but he is saying that there are and have been trade talks after January 6, and seemingly ongoing. This bears watching, obviously.
Recently, Cubs President Jed Hoyer declined to say that he’d provided assurances to any Cubs players that they wouldn’t be traded, and obviously the Bryant trade talks and rumors have swirled for literal years. No one could be shocked if he were traded to the Mets in the coming days. I know that’s weird to say, but that’s just kinda how things have hovered for so long. The Cubs don’t seem to be under pressure to dump additional salary, by the way, so if they were going to trade Bryant at this time, it would have to be about getting an actual, meaningful return (in advance of Bryant departing in free agency after this season).
There was also buzz last night about the Mets working on some things, though it was unclear if that wound up just being their small role in the Andrew Benintendi three-team trade. Among those things:
Spidey sense tingling again. Mike is onto something https://t.co/YCLBPPIt3O
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) February 11, 2021
Am NOT saying this is what’s going on right now, but rivals say Mets have been trying to find takers for Betances and Familia contracts.
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) February 11, 2021
Is it conceivable that the Cubs could trade Bryant to the Mets for one of those contracts plus a much better prospect return? Sure. It’s conceivable – and it would be preferable, obviously, to just dumping Bryant to save money. But I don’t want to go too nuts down that road until we hear more about re-activated talks. Stay tuned. Spring Training starts in a week, and I’m quite sure Bryant is not going to want to have to live through another round of rumors while he’s in Arizona, trying to get ready for the season. Let’s just get some finality either way.