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Anthony Rizzo, Javier Báez, Kris Bryant.
All free agents-to-be after 2021, none signed to contract extensions before the season, and with the team not doing well, a fire sale seemed likely.
Now it’s happened, and KB is the final domino to fall:
Bryant to SF, source tells, ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 30, 2021
Kris Bryant was NL Rookie of the Year in 2015, NL MVP in 2016, and he started the play that clinched Game 7 of the 2016 World Series for the Cubs. He’ll always be a World Series champion Cub, along with the other two traded in the last two days.
As is the case with these deals as they are reported, we do not yet know the return from the Giants for Bryant. There had been rumors earlier in the week that Giants catching prospect Joey Bart might be part of a KB return, but those were debunked.
Hail and farewell, Cubs World Series heroes. You’ll always be remembered and beloved here in Chicago.
When the return on this deal is known, this post will be updated. And I will be writing more appreciation articles over the next few days.
UPDATE — Here’s the return for Bryant:
Cubs receive OF Alexander Canario (No. 9 SF prospect per @MLBPipeline) and RHP Caleb Killian (No. 30) from the Giants for Kris Bryant, per source.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 30, 2021