Kris Bryant chooses to sign massive deal with surprising team

Kris Bryant has a new team, and it is a surprising one.

The former longtime Chicago Cubs third baseman is staying in the National League and has chosen to sign with the Colorado Rockies. He is getting $182 million over seven years.

The move is surprising for many reasons.

The Rockies have finished fourth in the NL West the last three seasons. Maybe Bryant thinks with him in the fold that the Rockies will be improved. But it doesn’t seem like he prioritized winning with his choice of teams.

The other surprise is that Colorado just had a stellar third baseman on their team in Nolan Arenado. Arenado forced a trade away from the Rockies last year because he was frustrated with the organization. Arenado seemed upset that the Rockies weren’t making a greater effort to build a better team around him.

Does Bryant believe the Rockies will try to build more around him? Or does he not care? We will find out.

This is a nice deal for the 30-year-old third baseman/outfielder. Bryant is a career .278 hitter with a lifetime .880. He has made four All-Star teams, including last season.

Photo: Aug 3, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Kris Bryant (23) looks on in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports