Four-time All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor may not be the final major acquisition for the New York Mets this offseason.
Mike Puma of The New York Post reports that "there's been dialogue between the Mets and Chicago Cubs recently" in regards to third baseman Kris Bryant, the 2016 National League MVP.
All indications are that Steve Cohen's Mets still would like to add another star position player, despite signing James McCann and acquiring Lindor already this winter. It would seem that long-time Houston Astros outfielder George Springer is their No. 1 target, with SNY's Andy Martino reporting Thursday that the Mets have made an offer of "somewhat less than $150 million" over five seasons. Still, Martino says there is a bridge to gap, as the former World Series MVP's camp appears to be seeking nearly $175 million.
Perhaps then, the pursuit of Bryant is done with the hopes that it will get Springer's camp to lower their asking price closer to $150 million. If not, though, Bryant could be a realistic fallback option for a team that doesn't have a set-in-stone third baseman.
Bryant, who turned 29 earlier this week, struggled in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, slashing .206/.293/.351 in 34 games. But while Bryant may never return to the form he showed early in his career, as recently as 2019 he hit 31 home runs and posted a 4.8 fWAR, so there's reason to think he could benefit from a change of scenery.
From the perspective of the Cubs, Puma says that Chicago is high on catcher Francisco Alvarez, who MLB Pipeline says is the No. 2 overall prospect in the Cubs system. While Puma notes that Mets president Sandy Alderson indicated a hesitancy to part with top prospects Thursday, the Mets did just sign McCann to a four-year deal to catch for them. That said, Alvarez is only 19 years old, so it stands to reason that he could succeed McCann as the team's everyday catcher.
Though Bryant has previously been linked to the Boston Red Sox, there's no indication that as he enters his free-agent walk year, Chaim Bloom is attempting to acquire him. Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo altogether said that his club, long speculated upon as a fit for Bryant, isn't pursuing him currently.
Already this offseason, the Cubs, now led by Jed Hoyer, have traded their former ace, Yu Darvish, to the San Diego Padres. World Series hero Kyle Schwarber was non-tendered. And in addition to the possibility of dealing Bryant, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that the Cubs have been "extensively shopping" All-Star catcher Willson Contreras. (It is worth noting that Hoyer shot back at said report, calling it "fictional.")
In any event, whether the Mets and Cubs ultimately link up and complete a trade for Bryant, these are two major-market teams headed in opposite directions. The Mets, under new ownership, appear to be a legitimate contender in the crowded National League East. The Cubs, on the other hand, seem to be retooling, if not altogether rebuilding.
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