NY Mets: 1 reasons why the team will not sign Kris Bryant this offseason

Kris Bryant, we can’t quit you! Talks of the former Chicago Cubs third baseman and occasional outfielder getting traded to the New York Mets headlined the offseason and trade deadline chatter involving this team. We’re getting to see him in action plenty these last two weeks with six games versus his new club.

Bryant was involved in some new Mets headline when it was reported by Ken Rosenthal that an even bigger potential deal with the Cubs almost happened. Bryant would have been with the Mets right now and talks about the team possibly looking to extend him would have been a daily occurrence for anyone who follows the blue and orange.

A free agent after this season, the possibility of seeing Bryant suit up for the Mets in 2022 remains possible. However, there’s one big reason why I don’t think it’s going to happen.

Why the Mets will not sign Kris Bryant this winter

Bryant remains a fit for the Mets and I’m not going to completely dismiss the possibility. Discontent with J.D. Davis at third base makes the hot corner a viable place for Bryant to play. I do think the Mets trade Davis this upcoming winter, opening up the door to a possible Bryant signing.

I tend to think someone outbids the Mets—like the Philadelphia Phillies who could look to upgrade over Alec Bohm and inviting Bryant to join his good friend, Bryce Harper.

The Mets won’t be crying tears of unhappiness because they seem to be really high on getting Brett Baty to the majors as soon as they can.

The Mets third baseman in 2022 will be a temporary piece

Whether it remains Davis, a new contract with Jonathan Villar, or one of the many other possibilities, third base will not be the long-term future for Bryant—at least not at Citi Field. The Mets have done a wonderful job reminding fans about how well Baty has played this year. Already in Double-A, he’s tracking toward the major leagues at an incredible rate.

Rising Apple’s Brad LaPlante took a look at an expected timeline for Baty to reach the major leagues and succeed anyone who may call third base theirs. Supplanting someone in a similar fashion that David Wright did with Ty Wigginton is what I foresee happening.

One possibility for the Mets could always be to have a plan to have Bryant play third base in 2022 and then move him to a corner outfield position in 2023 once Baty takes reigns. I’m not a fan of this. It’s too perfect of a thought and something will surely go awry.

Logically, the Mets are better positioned to lock up an outfielder and find a temporary fix at third base even if that means doing nothing at all for the time being. Baty needs to have every shot to play regularly once he does reach the majors. Any controversy as a result of Bryant being with the Mets is just going to get in the way.

The team could always throw us a massive curveball and trade Baty. Oh, the humanity!

He is, after all, the first-round draft pick taken by Brodie Van Wagenen. They have rubbed it in his face plenty by trading away many of his draft picks and acquisitions by other means. I find this to be highly unlikely. If they were ever willing to trade Baty, why wouldn’t they have done so already?

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Those adventurous Mets fans who purchased a custom Kris Bryant jersey hopefully kept the receipt. Maybe as a broken and recently designated for assignment 37-year-old he does end up with the Mets one day. It won’t be 2022.