Join your friend Bryce in Philadelphia? Return to the Bay? Top 5 Possible Destinations for Kris Bryant

It is probably best to forget about the extraordinary first three years of Kris bryant In the majors, when he captured a Rookie of the Year award in 2015, he was named the National League MVP in 2016 and had a .946 OPS in 2017. We may never see that guy again, and that it’s fine. The current version of Kris Bryant, a man who hits with power, takes his walks and can cover up to five positions, is also pretty good.

Eliminate the 2020 season shortened by COVID-19, when the league’s star players struggled to adjust to an entirely different environment, and Bryant has finished each season with an OPS of at least .834. In all but one of the seasons, he played in more than 140 games. From 2018 to 2021, Bryant amassed 11.1 wins over replacement (WAR) according to FanGraphs. Thirty-nine position players did better, but only two: Freddie freeman Y Trevor storyThey are free agents.

Bryant isn’t perfect, but he can make any team significantly better. His defense is not excellent in any position, but his skill set is enough to at least make him acceptable in all of them. He’s about to venture into his 30s, but the relatively short length of his next contract (ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel predicted five years with a total of $ 90 million) could mitigate some of the concern in the final part of the deal.

Bryant recovered very well in 2021. He hit .265 / .353 / .481, made his fourth All-Star team, was worth 3.6 in WAR from FanGraphs and started at least 10 games in five different positions (first base, third base, left field). , center field and right field, plus he even made an appearance at the end of a game at shortstop). When the major league offseason resumes, Bryant, who turns 30 next month, will become one of the most coveted players available in the sport. And its versatility opens up a plethora of options. Below is a look at the five teams that apparently make the most sense.