Cubs' Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras Avoid Arbitration Amid Trade Buzz

The Chicago Cubs avoided arbitration with third baseman Kris Bryant and catcher Willson Contreras, agreeing to deals with both players on Friday.

Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports reported Bryant's deal is worth $19.5 million. Contreras and the Cubs agreed to a $6.65 million contract, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network and WFAN Sports Radio.

Both players' names have been included in recent trade rumors. Of note, the Toronto Blue Jays are among numerous teams to check in on Bryant, per Jon Morosi of Fox Sports and MLB Network last Monday.

Contreras has reportedly been "extensively" shopped around, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today on Dec. 29. Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer called that report "fictional" the next day, per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.

   

The Cubs finished first in the National League Central with a 34-26 record last year, but they lost in the NL Wild Card Round to the Miami Marlins, who beat Chicago in a two-game sweep.

Chicago has made the playoffs three of the past four years after winning the 2016 World Series, but playoff success has largely eluded the franchise since.

After the 2020 season, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein resigned, and Jed Hoyer took over his post. Hoyer is charged with remaking a Cubs team that faces a tall task reaching the World Series due to some National League powerhouses including the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves.

The San Diego Padres, which are stocked with young talent (e.g. superstar Fernando Tatis Jr.) and just added ace pitcher Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays, look like they'll be in the thick of the NL race on paper.

The onus is on the Cubs to keep pace, although that may be difficult after the team dealt ace pitcher Yu Darvish to San Diego as well.

Bringing back Bryant and Contreras for one more year apiece is a good start, but the Cubs could be facing an uphill climb to get back to the NL mountaintop.