With the Chicago Cubs beginning to sell, the New York Mets reportedly have interest in acquiring third baseman Kris Bryant.
After falling well down the NL Central standings, the Chicago Cubs appear to have surrendered on the 2021 season. That was solidified on Thursday night, when the Cubs traded outfielder Joc Pederson to the Atlanta Braves for first base prospect Bryce Ball. Now, all eyes will be on who is traded next, and MLB Network insider Jon Heyman hinted at who could be targeting third baseman Kris Bryant.
Heyman tweeted out on Thursday evening that there are multiple teams interested in Bryant’s services, one of them being the New York Mets.
Mets among multiple teams interested in Kris Bryant
The Mets have enjoyed a successful first half of the 2021 season, as they held a 47-40 record and sole possession of first-place in the NL East. However, the division is expected to be a wild battle for the remainder of the season, considering the last-place Miami Marlins are just nine games behind them in the standings as of this writing. Hence why the Mets may be pressured to make a huge move at the deadline to give them some space from their rivals.
As Heyman mentions in his tweet, Bryant does provide tremendous versatility to whichever team that acquires him. He has played at third base, first base and all three outfield spots in the first half of the season. The Mets could put Bryant at the hot corner or in the outfield if they so choose. Any way to get him in the batting order would be a plus for New York.
Through 81 games this season, Bryant is slashing .271/.353/.502 while recording 16 home runs, 46 RBI, 50 runs scored and 79 hits.
New Mets owner Steve Cohen said in his introductory press conference back in November that he would be disappointed if the team does not win a World Series in three-to-five years. With the Mets looking like contenders in the National League, it would not be surprising to see the team making a huge move to put them over the top for the remainder of the season.