The Chicago Cubs have been flirting with the idea of trading Kris Bryant since the offseason, and the New York Mets are said to have maintained interest in the star third baseman.
The Mets are among the multiple teams that have expressed interest in Bryant ahead of the trade deadline, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.
That is hardly a surprise. The Mets had trade talks with the Cubs back in January that were centered on Bryant. Chicago is 44-46 and not looking like a contender, so it makes sense that a Bryant trade would be back on the table.
Bryant hit just .206 in 32 games of an injury-marred season last year. He has bounced back this year and it batting .271 with 16 home runs, 46 RBI and an OPS of .854.
One potential concern for the Mets could be money, though owner Steve Cohen has said he is willing to spend whatever it takes to assemble a World Series contender. Bryant is earning nearly $20 million in his final year of arbitration eligibility, and the Mets are less than $10 million below the luxury tax threshold.
The Mets reportedly have interest in another star third baseman as well, so it would not be a surprise if they are aggressive leading up to the July 30 trade deadline.
