The Cubs are apparently desperate to make a trade in order to shed money and create change. Since the Cubs World Series win in 2016, the Cubs have trended downwards which resulted in them missing the playoffs in 2019. The Cubs are making many players available including Willson Contreras and Kris Bryant.

In 2019, Bryant slashed .282/.382/.521 with 31 HR. In his career, he holds a slash line of .284/.385/.516 with 138 HR, 403 RBIs, and 751 hits. He was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2015, won a World Series ring and MVP in 2016 and has appeared in three all-star games.

While Bryant's primary position is third, he can also play first and the corner outfield spots.

Bryant and his agent Scott Boras, have filed a grievance against the Cubs due to service time and Bryant being held back in the minors when he was ready for the big leagues. If he wins his case, he will be a free agent after the 2020 season rather than the 2021 season. Bryant is projected to earn $18.5 million in what could be his final year of arbitration.

If the Cubs decide to move him, here is what they could get in return for Bryant. For the purpose of this article, we will assume that Bryant will lose his case and becomes a free agent after the 2021 season.

Atlanta Braves

Braves get: Bryant

Cubs get: P Ian Anderson, P Huascar Ynoa and OF Justin Dean

The Cubs and Braves are perfect trade partners for Bryant as the Braves are in need of a third baseman and the Cubs are in need of prospects.

If the Braves get Bryant, they would give up third-ranked prospect Ian Anderson, tenth-ranked prospect Huascar Ynoa and twenty-third-ranked prospect Justin Dean.

The Braves employed Josh Donaldson at the hot corner last season but he's currently a free agent and there's no guarantee that he'll re-sign. In the case that they lose out on him or to be safe, they could acquire Bryant from Chicago.

Bryant in Atlanta would form a very strong top of the order of Acuna, Albies, Bryant, and Freeman which would be daunting for any pitcher to face. The Braves could even acquire Bryant and bring back Donaldson and have them both in the lineup. What would happen in that case would be Donaldson would man third and Bryant would move to a corner outfield spot which would regulate one of Markakis or Inciarte to the bench or potentially Inciarte would get traded.

The Cubs would get a big prize in landing Anderson. Anderson projects as a frontline starter as his career numbers in the minors are a 2.91 E.R.A. 431 strikeouts over 294 hits given up and an opponent average of .214. Ynoa made his major league debut this season and can be held onto until the 2025 season and at the height of 5'6, in 2019, Dean slashed .284/.386/.431 with 47 SB.

New York Mets

Mets get: Bryant

Cubs get: 3B Bret Baty and P Matthew Allan

The Mets are possibly one impact bat away from truly being a contender in the NL East and Bryant could be what they would need. In order to get Bryant though, the Mets would have to pay a steep price which would include two of their highest picks for the 2019 draft,` including second-ranked prospect Bret Baty and fourth-ranked prospect Matthew Allan.

The Mets have a solid rotation but their offense could use some work. They have Rookie of the Year Pete Alonso who mashed 53 HR but other than him, the lineup doesn't have much thump. The hot corner in Queens currently belongs to contact specialist Jeff McNeil but luckily for the Mets, he has the ability to play LF so if the Mets can get Bryant, McNeil can just move 100 feet behind him which would allow Bryant to play 3B. Having Bryant play third for the Mets can bring back memories, for Mets fans, of David Wright playing third when he was in his prime.

While the Cubs would only net two prospects, in this deal, the quality of these prospects is worth it. In 51 games, of his debut professional season, Bryant hit seven HR, 33 RBIs, and 44 hits and could be the future third baseman of the Cubs while Allan projects as a frontline starter in the future.

Philadelphia Phillies

Phillies get: Bryant

Cubs get: P Adonis Medina, P Francisco Morales, P Enyel De Los Santos, and a minor league hitter

The Phillies have an opening at the hot corner as they non-tendered Maikel Franco and Bryant could fill that hole. If Bryant were to get traded to the Phillies, he could be reunited and play with his childhood friend Bryce Harper at the major league level. Getting Bryant would bite into the Phillie's minor league pitching depth as they'd have to trade fourth-ranked prospect Adonis Medina, sixth-ranked prospect Francisco Morales, seventh-ranked prospect Enyel De Los Santos and they'd also have to give up a minor league hitter.

If Bryant were to be in the city of Brotherly Love, the Phillies first five hitters in their lineup would be stacked.

McCutchen, Bryant, Harper, Hoskins, and Realmuto combined for 130 HR and an average of .260 in 2019. Of course, those numbers should be better in 2020 as McCutchen missed most of the season with an injury and Hoskins had a down year. Bryant would also give the Phillies a better chance to make the playoffs after missing out, in 2019, after a disappointing year.

In return, the Cubs would get what they would really need: young, cheap and controllable pitching. In the minors, Medina has a career E.R.A. of 3.60. In 2019, Morales struck out 129 batters compared to 82 hits given up with an opponent average of .226 and De Los Santos is another quality pitcher they can add who has seen limited action at the major league level.

They would also get a minor league hitter in this deal.

Texas Rangers

Rangers get: Bryant

Cubs get: P Hans Crouse or P Cole Winn, P Jonathan Hernandez, SS Maximo Acosta, and a minor league player

The Rangers are moving into a new stadium and are looking to start off big their first year there. They have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Bryant and if he were to be traded to the Lone Star state, leaving the Rangers organization would be one of third-ranked prospect Hans Crouse, fourth-ranked prospect Cole Winn, twelfth-ranked prospect Jonathan Hernandez, fifteenth-ranked prospect Maximo Acosta, and an additional minor league player.

Bryant would give the Rangers a superstar presence on the field which they have lacked since Adrian Beltre's prime.

Speaking of Beltre, since his two years out of baseball, the Rangers have yet to find a suitable replacement to play third and Bryant could be their guy. The Rangers have held a meeting with star free agent third baseman Anthony Rendon but he's expected to cost a lot and is also older than Bryant. Instead of signing Rendon, they could trade for Bryant to show him what a great state Texas is and then sign him to a big extension once he hits free agency. This would also allow the Rangers to make and save more money which would be beneficial from a business perspective.

In Crouse or Winn, the Cubs would get a pitching prospect that could be inserted into their rotation in the near future. Crouse holds a career E.R.A.

of 3.27 with a career opponent average of .224 while Winn is considered an advanced pitcher for his age at20. Hernandez has already made his major league debut but will need a lot of developing at the major league level. He has some potential for the reward to be big. Meanwhile, Acosta is only 17 years old, isn't expected to reach the majors until 2024, but is being compared to Gleyber Torres. The Cubs would also receive another minor league player in this deal with the potential to contribute at the major league level.

Minnesota Twins

Twins get: Bryant

Cubs get: OF Alex Kirilloff and P Jordan Balazovic

After a strong season that saw the Twins come away with the AL Central and winning the division by hitting a ton of home runs, the Twins could add another HR hitter in Bryant to their already powerful lineup.

Going to Windy City in exchange for Bryant would be top prospects Alex Kirilloff and Jordan Balazvoic.

After non-tendering C.J. Cron, the Twins plan on moving Miguel Sano over to first base where he's better suited and address their third base opening via free agency or trade. The Twins have been in talks with free-agent third baseman Josh Donaldson and Todd Frazier but Donaldson has been garnering interests from teams with bigger markets and Frazier is only good at one thing, being a home-run hitter, something the Twins have plenty of. If the Twins get Bryant, he could man the hot corner and play first base if Sano gets injured or struggles. He is prone to both.

Like the deal with the Mets, the Twins would only get two prospects but the quality of these prospects make it beyond worthy.

Kirilloff is ranked 15, in all of baseball, for prospects and has a career slash line of .317/.365/.498 with 350 hits compared to 194 strikeouts and 177 RBIs in the minors. Balazovic, who's ranked 76 in all of baseball, has the makings of a frontline starter as in 2019, he struck out 129 batters, only gave up 67 hits with an opponent average of .193 and an E.R.A. of 2.69.

New York Yankees

Yankees get: Bryant

Cubs get: 3B Miguel Andujar, P Luis Gil, P Nick Nelson, and a minor league player

After not appearing in the World Series for a decade, the Yankees are looking to change that, appear in the World Series in 2020, and win ring no. 28. The Yankees' most glaring need is in starting pitching but they could make their already dangerous offense even more dangerous by trading for Bryant.

For Bryant, they would have to give up Miguel Andujar, fourth-ranked prospect Luis Gil, Nick Nelson, who's ranked 14, and another minor league player.

If the season were to start today, the Yankees would have a battle at third base between Gio Urshela, who had a breakout 2019 but was a bench player season's prior, and Miguel Andujar, who had a breakout 2018 but missed almost all of 2019 with a shoulder injury. The Yankees can end the uncertainty at third by surprising everyone and trading for Bryant. In a hitter-friendly ballpark like Yankee Stadium, Bryant would have the opportunity to thrive there and play his best baseball yet.

The Cubs would get a perfect package that would include a major league caliber player and Bryant's replacement, two high ceiling pitching prospects, and another player they can stash in the minors. Andujar only appeared in 12 games, in 2019, due to a torn labrum but, in 2018, he slashed .297/.328/.527 with 170 hits, 47 doubles, 27 HR and 92 RBIs. He is under control until the 2023 season. In 2019, Gil posted a 2.72 E.R.A. with 123 strikeouts compared to 71 hits given up for an opponent average of .205 and his minor league career numbers consist of a 2.74 E.R.A., 204 strikeouts compared to 149 hits given up and a .200 opponent average. In 2019, Nelson posted a 2.81 E.R.A. with 114 strikeouts to just 72 hits given up and in his minor league career, he has 101 more strikeouts (387) than hits given up (286) with a 3.65 E.R.A. The minor league player would be someone that would have a real chance to reach the majors.

St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals get: Bryant

Cubs get: 3B/2B Tommy Edman, P Alex Reyes and P Johan Oviedo (12)

- Cubs/Cardinals long-time rivals who haven't made a trade since 2007

- Bryant can play 3B and if Carpenter bounces back Bryant could be shifted to the outfield

- Edman's debut 2019: .304/.350/.500 with 99 hits in 92 games and is under control till 2024

- Reyes is a former top prospect with frontline potential if he can stay healthy

- Reyes career numbers: 2.21 E.R.A. with 55 K/38 H and .204 opponent average

- Oviedo big righty (6'6/210 pounds) with 2022 ETA but could debut in 2021

Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodgers get: Bryant

Cubs get: OF Joc Pederson, P Josiah Gray (4), P Edwin Uceta (21) and P Yadier Alvarez

- Bryant would play OF if acquired by Dodgers

- Dodgers looking for first World Series title since 1986

- Pederson's career year 2019: .249/.339/.538 with .876 OPS, 36 HR, and 74 RBIs

- Gray 2019: 2.28 E.R.A., 147 K/98 H and opponent average of .207

- Uceta 2019: 2.77 E.R.A. with 141 K

- Alvarez has had issues in Dodgers organization

- Former top prospect

San Diego Padres

Padres get: Bryant

Cubs get: CF Manuel Margot, P Ryan Weathers (7) and P Joey Cantillo (16)
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