With only minutes remaining before the MLB trade deadline, the San Francisco Giants have traded for Kris Bryant. ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to break the news. Like catcher Buster Posey, Kris Bryant is a former ROY, MVP, and World Series Champion. Bryant is currently batting .267 with 18 homers and 51 RBIs.
Kris Bryant fits perfectly with the Giants because of his ability to play multiple positions. He can play all three outfield positions, he’s a great third baseman, and he can shift over and play games at first. The Giants have lacked production in left field all season. Bryant should slide in nicely to solve that problem.
Cubs Side of the Trade
In the trade for Kris Bryant, the Giants sent two prospects to the Chicago Cubs, Their #9 prospect Alexander Canario and #30 prospect Caleb Kilian. Canario is a 21-year-old outfielder and product of the Dominican Republic. He is currently batting .235 with nine home runs for the low-A San Jose Giants. Kilian is a Texas Tech product with a fastball that tops out at 98 mph. He is projected to develop into a middle-of-the-rotation starter and currently has a 2.43 ERA in 11 starts for the Flying Squirrels in AA. The deal appears to be a great one for the Giants as they have added a middle-of-the-order bat without sacrificing any of their top-tier prospects.
The Near Future
Kris Bryant is scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the season. However, the Giants will end the year with big money in the bank and could look to extend Bryant long-term. He could provide stability to an ever-changing outfield in San Francisco. He could also replace Brandon Belt at first base if the Giants elect not to resign him. In another scenario, although Evan Longoria still has one year left on his contract after 2021, Bryant could be the answer to the team’s upcoming need at third base.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
Players Mentioned:
Buster Posey, Kris Bryant, Alexander Canario, Caleb Kilian, Brandon Belt, Evan Longoria
