Kris Bryant has ‘clear’ mind amid uncertain Cubs future

Trade rumors have swirled around Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant for months now, but the former NL MVP isn’t worried about them.

Instead, he’s focused on living in the moment and taking the season day-by-day.

“There’s no countdown,” Bryant said, per MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. “No, my mind is very, I don’t know, just clear. I’m here. I’m present. I’m enjoying the new faces around me. I enjoy my time at home. It’s a good feeling.”

The Cubs have already let a number of pieces from their 2020 team go this offseason. They traded Cy Young runner-up Yu Darvish to the Padres and released left fielder Kyle Schwarber, who was a key contributor to their 2016 World Series championship team. Schwarber signed with the Nationals in January.

Rumors have swirled that they could continue their teardown by moving Bryant, Anthony Rizzo or Javier Baez, who are all due new contracts in the near future. Bryant is especially vulnerable, being in the last year of his deal. But he appears not to be worried.

“I’m not looking at it as my last year,” Bryant said. “Who knows what year it could be? I could have 10 more years here, who knows? I could come back as a coach. I could live in Chicago. I don’t know.”

The Mets could be a potential destination for Bryant, as the team reportedly looked into third basemen Eugenio Suarez and Nolan Arenado. Bryant even got a text saying “welcome to the Mets” in the offseason and believed he was getting moved, but it turned out to be a hoax.