David Ortiz made a quick sales pitch to Kris Bryant before the 2021 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Bryant represented the Chicago Cubs in the Midsummer Classic on Tuesday night at Coors Field, and Ortiz used an interview during FOX’s live pregame coverage as an opportunity to try to gauge the 29-year-old’s interest in joining the Boston Red Sox at the MLB trade deadline.
“I hear that you might be getting traded. You want to come to Boston? I can make it happen, bro,” Ortiz said while laughing.
“Hey, they said you wouldn’t bring up these questions,” Bryant replied with a smile, refusing to take the bait despite the Red Sox legend’s best efforts.
Click here to watch the interaction.
Bryant, who’s set to become a free agent after this season, has been the subject of trade rumors for months, but speculation is intensifying now that it appears the Cubs will be sellers before the July 30 deadline.
Bryant is a logical trade candidate given his contract situation. That said, Chicago also has other pieces that could be attractive to Boston, including first baseman Anthony Rizzo and closer Craig Kimbrel.
Rizzo was drafted by the Red Sox in 2007 and traded to the San Diego Padres before the 2011 season in the deal that sent Adrián González to Boston. Kimbrel spent three seasons with the Red Sox from 2016 to 2018, winning a World Series in his final campaign with the club.
Bryant, a four-time All-Star, struggled in 2020 but has bounced back nicely in 2021 despite the Cubs falling out of contention thanks to a recent rough patch that included an 11-game losing streak. He batted .271 with 16 home runs, 46 RBIs and an .864 OPS in 81 first-half games.
Bryant, named the National League Rookie of the Year in 2015 and the NL MVP in 2016, not only is a proven run producer with immense power. He also is versatile defensively, showing an ability this season to play third base, first base and all three outfield positions.
It’s no wonder Big Papi decided to put the Boston bug in Bryant’s ear.
