Bryant on the Cubs' new boss: Not the same as the old boss

MESA, Arizona — The text was as unsettling as it was short.

“Welcome to the Mets.”

All Kris Bryant knew when the message buzzed into his cell phone early this month was that it was from a Connecticut number he didn’t recognize and that it came right after that rumor out of New York that said a trade to the Mets could be imminent for the Cubs All-Star third baseman.

“I’m, like, ‘What?’ “ said Bryant, who quickly phoned his agent, Scott Boras, who then called Cubs president Jed Hoyer. “And he said there’s nothing going on.

“That’s the kind of stuff I feel like is nice to know when there’s something that’s completely false, because at the end of the day we’re all human,” Bryant said. “Sometimes when you get a text that says something like that, it’s like, whoa, that might kind of mess with me a little bit.”

And then, for the third time during a 23-minute Zoom session with media, Bryant heaped unsolicited praise on Hoyer for his communication style and openness since his promotion in November after Theo Epstein resigned with a year left on his contract.

“He’s been really transparent with me, with my side,” Bryant said. “I’ve never had that type of, I don’t know, security, or communication. So that was met very well. And I really appreciated that from him, and I let him know that, and we’re on great terms. Great way to start off our relationship in his new role.”

Whatever that might say about Epstein’s communication style before the new guy took over, it’s hard not to at least wonder what that might say about the long-shot possibility of an extension before Bryant hits free agency in eight months.

For now, he has nothing new to offer from the standpoint of his willingness to engage again four years after the last substantive talks eventually went nowhere.

“I can kind of sound like a broken record,” he said. “The past whatever amount of years it’s been, I’ve always said I’ve been open and willing to hear whatever Jed, now, has to say and would take it with open arms and consider everything that is thrown my way. I’ve communicated that well with them. They know where I stand. They know what I think. Use whatever quotes I’ve said in the past; that still rings true today.”

Hoyer said recently that he plans to talk to several players with short-term club control about possible extensions.

Three-time All-Star Anthony Rizzo this week said he already has talked to Hoyer, and he seems the likeliest to extend beyond this walk year. Shortstop Javy Baez, another All-Star and Gold Glove winner, got deep into discussions last year before COVID-19 shut down the sport and could be the next likeliest of the pending free agents.

Few signs point to much movement with Bryant, who said he doesn’t expect his agent to initiate talks.

“Jed’s going to make those decisions,” said Bryant, who then gushed again about the new guy in charge.

“I’m sure I’ll have a meeting with Jed,” he said. “I love talking to Jed. Our relationship from the very get-go in his new role — I’ve been very impressed with just his communication and openness and honesty. That’s all you want from the person kind of making the decisions for you. So I really respect Jed and what he’s been doing.”

Which brings it right back to that longest of long shots.

So he's saying there's a chance?

Probably not so much. But feeling confident about where he stands with the organization — even if that’s only going to last a few more months — obviously makes a big difference to the guy who has been this team’s best hitter since his debut in 2015.

And if that represents a fresh, healthy place mentally for the slugger who looks healthy enough physically to have taken Jake Arrieta deep in live batting practice Thursday, then that’s probably only a good thing for his bounce-back chances in 2020, and potentially a very good thing for the Cubs.

So a third consecutive winter of trade rumors? An uncertain future with the club that drafted him No. 2 overall in 2013? Even an occasional unwanted, unnerving text message from Connecticut in February?

“I think I’m in a really good place in terms of dealing with that stuff now,” he said, “and there’s really nothing for me to say about any of that.”