Kris Bryant was, not too long ago, one of MLB’s very best players.
He has a National League Rookie of the Year, an MVP, and a World Series championship under his belt.
Naturally, teams are lining up for his services, driving up his price.
He is expected to sign for around $150 million, a huge commitment that not many teams are likely to pay.
Injuries treated him badly in 2020 (.206/.293/.351 line) but he returned to form in 2021 (.265/.353/.481, 25 homers) and it’s time for his big payday.
These three American League teams should be viewed as clear suitors for Bryant’s services, because they are good fits.
3. Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels could use someone of Bryant’s caliber, for sure.
However, he is not their most pressing need: pitching is, and the whole league knows it.
Nevertheless, Bryant was linked to the Angels before the lockout, so we shouldn’t dismiss them as potential suitors.
At the moment, Los Angeles has a player of Bryant’s caliber, Anthony Rendon, manning third base.
However, if he were to sign for the Angels, he could see time in the outfield corners: Mike Trout will have a spot in the lineup, but the rest of the lineup depends on who stands out during spring training: Jo Adell, Brandon Marsh, and Justin Upton are some of the options.
Adell and Marsh are promising, sure, but Bryant is proven.
For now, pitching and middle infield are more urgent situations for the Angels, but don’t rule them out.
2. Toronto Blue Jays
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will man first base, while Bo Bichette will take care of shortstop.
The rest of the Toronto Blue Jays infield will depend on the rest of their offseason.
Cavan Biggio can play second and third base, but he had a very disappointing season (.224/.322/.356 in 294 plate appearances) and could be replaced.
At the moment, Santiago Espinal is at the top of the Blue Jays’ depth chart at the hot corner.
He isn’t a bad hitter (.311/.376/.405 in 2021), but he has no power, evidenced by his two homers in 246 plate appearances.
Toronto will surely want someone with a little more thump to add to the infield, and there aren’t many reliable options besides Bryant.
They are expected to be one of the main players for his services, as they should have some money to spend after letting Marcus Semien go via free agency.
If they sign Bryant, he would slot in at third base and Biggio would return to his natural second base.
If the Blue Jays trade for José Ramirez and sign Kris Bryant or Trevor Story they could make it to the World Series.
— Nick 💜💛 (@NickBagSZN) January 13, 2022
It’s a clear fit.
1. Seattle Mariners
Perhaps we should be considering the Seattle Mariners as the favorites to sign Bryant.
They have 35 home runs and 101 RBI to replace since Kyle Seager decided to retire, so Bryant makes sense: he has power, he is a better hitter than Seager, and he plays third base.
He won’t be cheap, though: the Mariners will have plenty of competition.
But Seattle has money to spend and a willingness to do it, since they came so close to making the postseason in 2021.
Their expected breakout party could occur in 2022, but they need a player of Bryant’s stature to really break through in a tough AL West division.
As of now, Abraham Toro is the favorite to start at third base, but he could move to second to accommodate Bryant if needed, sharing time with newly acquired Adam Frazier.
We can all agree that Kris Bryant is a great fit for the Mariners right?
— Jake Hasan (@jake_has2) December 17, 2021
Bryant and the Mariners is a marriage that could really take both to the next level.
NEXT: 3 Blockbuster MLB Trades That Can Happen After The Lockout
