Kris Bryant for Nolan Arenado Swap Doesn't Make Any Sense From Cubs Perspective

The Cubs must be one of the most frustrating teams to be a fan of. From their unbelievable collapse to miss the 2019 playoffs, to the lack of significant action taken to improve the team in the offseason, fans have been given little indication that the club is going to make a big money splash on any player in the near future.

Even as recent as Wednesday, the Cubs fought tooth and nail to maintain an extra year of service time over Kris Bryant, thus ensuring the 2016 NL MVP does not hit free agency until 2021. So why, all of a sudden, are the Cubs interested in a blockbuster trade involving Bryant and unsettled Rockies star Nolan Arenado?

There are two things to immediately address when approaching news such as this. Firstly, if the Cubs don't want to pay anyone to make their team more competitive in an ever-shifting NL Central, why would they suddenly want to be responsible for a Nolan Arenado contract that runs through 2026? For a team that prides itself on fiscal responsibility, it doesn't seem like the Cubs at all to take responsibility of a contract that runs Arenado in to his age-35 season.

Secondly, why on Earth would the Rockies take a straight-swap deal for arguably the best third baseman in baseball? Obviously Bryant is a MVP winner, and deserves to be treated with respect. However, not recovering assets in a trade where the Rockies are quite literally giving up the face of the franchise seems odd.

It just doesn't make any sense that the Cubs would win an extra year of service time, and then trade it away. If the Rockies are truly valuing Bryant in a similar light as Arenado, why would you trade that control until 2021 away for the burden of a heavy salary?