As a result, the Nationals are again exploring a trade with the Chicago Cubs for Bryant, according to two people with knowledge of their plans. The interest, which was first reported by MLB Network on Friday, indicates that Washington could use third base to address a larger need for a middle-of-the-order bat or two. Once Rendon departed, General Manager Mike Rizzo didn’t replace one all-star with another. He signed Starlin Castro; re-signed Howie Kendrick, Ryan Zimmerman and Asdrúbal Cabrera; and strengthened the bullpen with multiyear deals for Will Harris and Daniel Hudson.
But the 2020 season, despite being only 60 games, made it very clear that the offense needs more. That’s where Bryant makes a lot of sense.
For starters — and this is relevant to most spending teams — here’s a former MVP entering his final year with a club that could very well lose him in free agency next winter and get nothing in return. For the Nationals specifically, Bryant played under Dave Martinez when he was a bench coach with the Cubs; Bryant could shift to a corner outfield spot if the Nats wanted to give Kieboom more shots at third; and getting Bryant now, for less than it would have taken in 2019, would still give them almost a year of being the only team that could negotiate a long-term deal with him. Bryant is a right-handed hitter who profiles well in front of or behind the left-handed Juan Soto. And, maybe most importantly, he would make Washington markedly better in the last guaranteed season of having Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin atop the rotation.
Bryant doesn’t extend the current title window as much as he shoves it open for 2021. If he came to Washington before next year, there would still be a chance he left at the end of it. Rizzo doesn’t like to discuss “windows,” because he constantly keeps the Nationals in contention. Over almost a decade, he’s backed that with four division titles and a championship. But that Scherzer is on the last year of his mega contract, that Soto and Trea Turner are still under team control and that the bullpen’s best pieces are on their last legs makes this all feel a bit more pressing for the Nationals. And that makes Bryant the right fit at the right time.
Only 28, Bryant is coming off a down season that was shrunk to 34 games by injuries and the pandemic. He’s otherwise faced questions about his defense and a slight regression since winning the MVP award in 2016. He is under the Cubs’ control for one more year after losing a service time grievance against them. Bryant had petitioned that the Cubs manipulated his clock at the start of his career, and that he should have reached free agency this November. But a neutral arbiter sided with the Cubs in January, further fraying Bryant’s relationship with the club. In turn, it seems unlikely that he’d sign back in Chicago, despite helping the Cubs break their World Series curse.
Last offseason, the Nationals wouldn’t include Soto, Turner, Victor Robles or pitcher Jackson Rutledge in any trade packages for Bryant, according to people with knowledge of those discussions. But now, with the Cubs’ leverage dwindling, it may not take any top prospects to complete a deal. Bryant made $18.6 million in 2020. He’s due for a raise in his final year of arbitration eligibility. If Rizzo can take on that type of salary, the Nationals’ system — ranked low and top-heavy with young arms — has the pieces to make it happen.
This can all come with clashing truths. A Bryant trade could be smart for a team that has to improve its offense to stare down the Atlanta Braves in the National League East. A Bryant trade could also lead to a harshly short leash for Kieboom, a once-top prospect who has just 165 plate appearances in 44 career games. But these are the dilemmas bred by attempting to compete for a title every year. Kieboom is a 23-year-old who, with a bit more seasoning, could blossom into a major league regular and reliable bat. And he could also be knocked aside for a proven player who elevates the Nationals immediately.
If Washington does choose to keep Kieboom at third for now, there are other ways to add offense. There are a number of corner outfielders on the market, from George Springer to Marcell Ozuna, from Michael Brantley to Joc Pederson. Star catcher J.T. Realmuto, long prized by Rizzo, is a free agent. There is a deep pool of veteran, power-hitting first basemen who could come cheap and in a bundle. Then there’s DJ LeMahieu, doubling as one of the league’s best available hitters and infielders, who split his innings between second (34 starts), third (11 starts) and first (one start, 11 games) with the New York Yankees in 2020.
But none of those players have shared a dugout with the Nationals’ manager. It’s hard to see any of them allowing for a one-year investment while Washington works out its long-term finances. Kris Bryant checks those boxes and many more.