Former Chicago Cubs MVP Has Unfortunately Earned High Spot on Harsh List
The Chicago Cubs were in a tough spot a few years ago.
No longer contenders, they had to make the difficult decision of moving on from some beloved players who helped the team find a ton of success on the field.
That is what the franchise did in 2021 when they traded Javier Baez to the New York Mets, Anthony Rizzo to the New York Yankees and Kris Bryant to the San Francisco Giants.
The only positive to come out of those transactions was the Cubs' front office and ownership can rest easy knowing that they made the right moves.
Since those deals were made, all three players have seen their production fall off a cliff.
Baez, signed to a six-year, $140 million contract by the Detroit Tigers as a free agent, has one of the worst contracts in baseball.
Rizzo had his option declined by the Yankees this offseason and is a free agent.
Yet, it can be argued that Bryant has been the worst out of the trio.
Like Baez, he landed on the list made by Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic where he ranked the worst contracts in baseball. The former MVP signed an even bigger contract than Baez, as the Colorado Rockies agreed to a seven-year, $182 million pact.
With four years remaining on the deal, and Bryant being paid $27 million in each, it comes as no surprise that he has landed at No. 2 on his list.
Injuries have played a major part, as the No. 2 pick in the 2013 MLB draft cannot stay on the field.
Even when he is out there, though, he isn’t producing at a high level as the ailments have really taken a toll.
“The player who won an MVP at 24 has played only 159 games over three seasons with the Rockies. His performance at the plate has declined in each of those three seasons. A negative WAR player over the past two years, Bryant has battled plantar fasciitis and multiple back issues. Now dealing with severe arthritis, Bryant has indicated he hasn’t had any thoughts of retirement. At the same time, he’s well aware of how rough the situation has become.”
It is hard to not feel bad for a player like Bryant.
Injuries have sapped him of his ability to perform at a high level, something he has been very honest about and has been tough on him in a multitude of ways.
There are some people who just crumble under the pressure of signing a big contract or pack it in knowing they have a guaranteed deal and will earn the money one way or another, but that isn’t the case here.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it, it’s been terrible,” he told reporters in September. “It’s been terrible on me, physically and emotionally. I feel like I’ve let a ton of people down.”
Playing half of his games at Coors Field can certainly help anyone get back on track, but his struggles have been immense. He has been a -1.7 WAR player for the last two seasons with the Rockies.
His power has disappeared, likely tied to the back and lower body injuries he is dealing with.
Bryant is someone everyone is rooting for to turn things around, but his spot on this list is warranted given the struggles.