(AUDACY) If you're in the market for a difference-making rental player, one of the best developments to happen in recent weeks is that the Cubs have gone into a swoon, setting them on the course to be sellers ahead of the trade deadline on July 30.
We examined star Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel's market earlier this week, one that's expected to be robust given Kimbrel's performance and his contract situation. Kimbrel has a 0.57 ERA this season, and he has a $16-million option for 2022, one that will almost certainly be picked up if he doesn't finish 55 games this season, which would cause it to vest automatically. So Kimbrel is more than just a rental and therefore figures to be more expensive than some of the Cubs stars who will be eligible to test free agency after the 2021 season.
Of those free-agents-to-be on the Cubs, infielder/outfielder Kris Bryant perhaps has the best chance to help a team have a parade in late October.
The 2016 National League MVP, Bryant is having his best season in years, slashing .268/.349/.498 with 16 home runs, 43 RBIs and a 2.1 fWAR. Bryant isn't a Gold Glove-caliber player at any one position, but he has played both corner infield positions and all three outfield spots at some point for the Cubs in 2021 and played them well. That versatility combined with his offensive prowess should make him coveted by contenders over the next few weeks.
As Bryant's time in Chicago perhaps winds down, here's a look at five contenders that he'd be a good fit for down the stretch.
New York Mets
Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesPerhaps Bryant will receive a "Welcome to the Mets" text this July that's actually legitimate, as opposed to the one that he got this past offseason. Bryant would be an upgrade defensively over J.D. Davis -- who's currently on the injured list -- at third base. He'd also give the Mets an insurance option in both corner outfield positions if Michael Conforto and/or Dominic Smith don't recover after disappointing first halves.
Milwaukee Brewers
Stacy Revere/Getty ImagesThis one may be a long shot because the Brewers play in the same division as the Cubs. That said, chances are that Bryant would just be a rental in Milwaukee, so if the Brewers offered the best return, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer would have to give serious consideration to trading a franchise icon within the NL Central. Travis Shaw is on the injured list with a left shoulder injury and has slashed just .191/.279/.337 in 178 at-bats. If it weren't for the Brewers being division rivals with the Cubs, we'd say they would make the most sense of any of the potential suitors for Bryant.
Atlanta Braves
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesThe Braves know a little about third basemen who can also hold their own in left field. Bryant isn't Chipper Jones, but he could certainly help the Braves to rebound in the second half and claim their fourth consecutive NL East title. Austin Riley has shown some improvement at third base defensively and is having a strong offensive season, so the guess here is that Bryant would be asked to play left field. The Braves miss the impact that Marcell Ozuna provided in their lineup last year, but with an ongoing investigation into his May arrest for domestic violence, he's unlikely to return this season (or perhaps ever). Bryant could fill that void, at least for few months.
San Francisco Giants
Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesThe Giants have quite a few veterans with extended postseason experience, and that includes Evan Longoria. Though he's currently on the injured list with a left shoulder injury, Longoria has slashed .280/.376/.516 in 2021, so the Giants wouldn't trade for Bryant expecting him to take over at third base. However, they may need to add another outfield bat if they hope to stave off the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres in the NL West. After impressing in small sample sizes in 2019 and 2020, Alex Dickerson is hitting just .223 with a .699 OPS in 2021. Bryant would represent a major upgrade over him in left field.
Toronto Blue Jays
Patrick McDermott/Getty ImagesGiven that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is having an MVP-caliber season and the Blue Jays will seemingly have George Springer in the mix after being without him for much of the first half, there's reason to think that Toronto could do damage after the All-Star break. Bryant could take some at-bats from a struggling Cavan Biggio at third base. He could also either play left field or designated hitter, whichever one isn't being occupied by Lourdes Gurriel.
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