The decision means that Bryant will become a free agent after the 2021 season, the timeline by which the Cubs had previously been operating over the years. It's also a notable ruling because the Cubs have been listening to trade offers for Bryant, and two years of contract control means he has more value to interested suitors.
One of those suitors could be the Texas Rangers as Jon Daniels continues to search for a powerful right-handed bat to slot into the top of the order. They currently have Todd Frazier penciled in at third base but the veteran has informed the club he'd be willing to move to first base if needed.
At the heart of the grievance was Bryant and his camp contending that the Cubs manipulated his service time back in 2015, when they called him up on that April 17 -- one day after he would've qualified for a full season of service time. By using the timeline they did, the Cubs pushed Bryant's free agency back to after the 2021 season.
Delaying a top prospect's arrival by several weeks into a new season is an approach many MLB teams have used. So had Bryant won his case, there could've been widespread ramifications across the sport.
Bryant, 27, is a three-time All-Star who won the National League MVP award in 2016. He has hit .284 with 138 homers and a .901 OPS in his five-year MLB career.