Kris Bryant shares mindset amid uncertain future with Cubs

Kris Bryant recognizes that rumors continue to persist surrounding his uncertain future with the Chicago Cubs with spring training underway for the club in Mesa, Ariz. Despite the significant potential for distraction, the Cubs slugger insists he’s maintaining a pragmatic perspective amid all the drama and speculation.

Addressing the situation this week, Bryant opened up about where his mind is at as he readies himself for his seventh MLB season.

“There’s no countdown,” Bryant said, as shared on Twitter by Jordan Bastain, MLB.com’s beat writer for the Cubs. “No, my mind is very, I don’t know, just clear. I’m here. I’m present. I’m enjoying the new faces around me. I enjoy my time at home. It’s a good feeling.”

Interestingly enough, Bryant also made note of having fans in the stands during Cactus League games.

“I like to see fans in the stands again,” Bryant continued. “Fans lined up here — hopefully, being safe.”

The Cubs star admitted last March as COVID-19 cases started to surge that the coronavirus pandemic was “bigger than baseball” amid deliberations concerning how Major League Baseball should handle the situation.

Concerning his future with the Cubs, though, Bryant’s comments this week offer a more enlightened view of his situation. He revealed during an interview in January that being a perpetual of source of trade rumors over the past few seasons has robbed him of the pure enjoyment of simply playing baseball.

However, Bryant later blasted a report from ESPN relaying his comments, calling it “clickbait.”

It appears that Bryant is attempting to find some semblance of balance amid the ongoing ambiguity of his situation. Further, he is approaching the 2021 MLB season with his eyes wide open, and the star third baseman is declining to rule out a future in Chicago even if the Cubs move on from him at some point.

“I’m not looking at it as my last year,” Bryant said. “Who knows what year it could be? I could have 10 more years here, who knows? I could come back as a coach. I could live in Chicago. I don’t know.”