Former Cubs Star Set to Undergo Back Procedure in Latest Injury Development

The Chicago Cubs of the mid to late 2010s made history with one of the most successful runs in franchise history including the first World Series title in 108 years back in 2016.

Of course, the team of today looks incredibly different from that championship team which is now closing in on a decade since the triumph. There are no remaining Cubs players from 2016 that are still on the team today, and Chicago is just now getting back to real contention with their new core.

One of the faces of that fondly remembered squad though is still trying to find success elsewhere but has had a rough go of it since he left.

Cubs brass rocked not just all of Chicago but all of baseball when they traded away third baseman and 2016 National League MVP Kris Bryant to the San Francisco Giants.

What has happened since the Cubs traded away Bryant?

Since the trade during the 2021 season, Bryant signed a lucrative contract the following offseason with the Colorado Rockies and has struggled immensely both to produce and to stay healthy.

A few weeks back, Bryant was placed on the injured list with a nasty sounding back injury described as "lumbar degenerative disc disease."

Now, the Rockies have announced Bryant is set to undergo an ablation procedure on his lower back according to Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post.

According to Colorado manager Bud Black, the procedure is "minimally invasive" and could lead to him being able to resume baseball activities a few days later, however when he could actually return to the lineup is another question.

In just over three years with the Rockies, this current stint is Bryant's ninth trip to the injured list.

Entering the 2025 season, he had played a total of just 159 games in his first three seasons after signing the contract and never more than 80 games in one campaign.

He owns an overall slash line for Colorado of .244/.324/.370 with 17 home runs and 61 RBI along with a negative WAR during his time there.

Bryant has looked like a shell of his former self ever since leaving Chicago and this latest issue, though still disappointing, does not come as a huge shock.

Cubs fans will always be grateful to Bryant for helping to do what over a century's worth of players before him could not and will always root for him.

With that being said, the 33-year-old has not been able to give fans, both in the Windy and Mile High cities, much to cheer about in recent years.