Kris Bryant Losing Service Time Grievance Could Be Final Straw in His Relationship With Cubs

The status of Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant's service time was the ugly baseball story that dragged under this entire offseason, letting trade rumors pass above it.

The Cubs, who are looking to rebuild and fortify their prospect pipeline, have dangled Bryant to a variety of teams this offseason. Yet no move occurred, partially due to uncertainty surrounding his free agency, and partially just because it makes very little sense not to re-sign a home-grown talent like Kris Bryant.

On Wednesday, the arbitrator finally made a decision, siding with the Cubs, leaving Bryant under team control for one more year. That decision may very well be the last straw for Bryant in the Windy City.

Bryant has every right to be miffed over the decision. In 2015, Bryant lit up the majors in spring training, with many speculating that he'd crack the Cubs Opening Day roster.

Instead, the team sent him down to the minors with the service time loophole fresh in their minds, forcing Bryant under the "172 days in the majors" limit that would've constituted a full season.

Bryant was called up nearly two weeks later, and despite playing in 151 games that season, it officially doesn't count as a full year of service time, because he didn't reach the aforementioned threshold.

According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Bryant "feels unwanted, underappreciated, and believes the organization openly lied during the arbitration hearing." And rightfully so! The Cubs agreed to die on this hill in 2015, knowing that it might be damaging to their relationship with one of the faces of their franchise. Now, they've dug their heels deeper into the muck.

Yeah, that bridge sounds pretty burned right now.

Now, the Cubs have all the leverage in trade negotiations. With Bryant under control until the conclusion of the 2021 season, the Cubs can now ask for more prospects from interested teams.

All of this is due to the collective bargaining agreement. The CBA listed the service time loophole, and the MLB Players Association agreed to it. While Bryant has every right to be angry with the Cubs organization, he should be even more upset with the MLBPA.

Make no mistake about it, Bryant will have a chip on his shoulder this season if he remains with the Cubs. If he plays at an MVP-caliber level, he'd give the Cubs a reason not to bring him back, because they wouldn't be able to afford him.