REPORT: Nationals “Exploring a Trade” with the Cubs for Kris Bryant

Call this the next tier up in the rumor chain, which starts at mere speculation on a fit, follows at some level of actual interest, and then you reach explorations and conversations between teams. From there, it’s exchanging names and offers, and – in the rare instance that a trade actually comes together – then, boom, a trade.

We know that there is an obvious fit between the Cubs and Nationals on a Kris Bryant trade, and we know that there was interest last year that probably carried over to this year. Now we’ve got a report that implies conversations, and an entire write-up at the Washington Post about Bryant’s fit with the Nationals.

Among Jesse Dougherty’s remarks:

“As a result, the Nationals are again exploring a trade with the Chicago Cubs for Bryant, according to two people with knowledge of their plans. The interest, first reported by MLB Network, indicates Washington could use third base to address a larger need for a middle-of-the-order bat …. [T]he 2020 season, despite being only 60 games long, made it clear that the offense needs more. That’s where Bryant makes a lot of sense.

For starters, he is a former MVP entering his final season with a club that could lose him in free agency next winter and get nothing in return. For the Nationals specifically, Bryant played under Dave Martinez when he was bench coach for the Cubs; Bryant could shift to a corner outfield spot if the Nationals want to give Kieboom another shot at third; and getting Bryant now, for less than it would have taken in 2019, would still give them almost a year of being the only team that can negotiate a long-term deal with him. Bryant is a right-handed hitter who profiles well in front of or behind the left-handed Juan Soto. And, maybe most importantly, he would make Washington markedly better in the last guaranteed season of having Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin atop the rotation.”

Although the Nationals could add offense in other ways, Dougherty suggests that a one-year guy like Bryant is a much better fit, all things considered.

Dougherty explains that, last year, the Nationals kept Juan Soto, Trea Turner, Victor Robles, and top Nats prospect Jackson Rutledge off the table in trade talks (to the first two, I say … uh, yeah, obviously), and there’s an implication that none would be available this year, either. More than fair on Soto and Turner, and maybe on Rutledge, too, though we’ve discussed why it’s possible that Robles’ star has fallen significantly.

Similarly, while Dougherty doesn’t include Carter Kieboom in that group, the article’s implication throughout is that Bryant would be added to the mix with Kieboom in mind, and that Kieboom, therefore, would not be involved in the trade. As with Robles, I can see why a post-hype type like Kieboom makes a lot of sense for the Cubs, but obviously that has never meant it would be a given that the Nationals would be ready to give up.

Instead, Dougherty…