SF Giants: Kris Bryant hints at staying beyond 2021

Kris Bryant has been a perfect fit for the SF Giants since the slugger was acquired at the July 30 trade deadline. What are the chances that he remains with San Francisco beyond 2021? While our own Kyle Foster sees three big reasons Bryant will be signing with another franchise this offseason, the former Chicago Cubs star seemed to hint that he hopes to make the Bay Area his long-term home in a press conference with reporters.

SF Giants: Kris Bryant hints at staying beyond 2021

Since putting on a Giants uniform, Bryant has said all the right things. Immediately following the trade, he indicated that he wanted to be a part of the Giants because of their surprising ascent as the best team in baseball.

On top of this, he mentioned that he grew up as a Giants fan with Barry Bonds being his favorite player. The right-handed bat was born in Las Vegas, Nevada and he still has ties to the area so San Francisco makes a lot of sense from a geographic perspective.

The 29-year-old has bolstered a stout Giants lineup, slashing .321/.377/.571 ( 152 OPS+) with three home runs, eight RBI, and 10 runs scored in 61 plate appearances with the Orange and Black. Incredibly, the Giants have won 13 of 17 games since Bryant’s San Francisco debut on August 1.

The Giants are focused on making a deep playoff push, but Bryant’s impending free-agent status is becoming an underlying narrative that will dominate the headlines down the stretch. To his credit, the Las Vegas native has said all of the right things.

He has shown an appreciation for the Giants organization and its history while fitting in seamlessly to a veteran clubhouse. Plus, as he told reporters on Tuesday, he runs the show in contract negotiations. Perhaps, that was said to discourage follow-up questions, especially given that Bryant’s agent, Scott Boras, is known as a tough negotiator. His clients rarely speak as openly as Bryant did.

There were several different ways to answer that question and he did not punt it away or give a stock answer. Rather, he addressed it directly, letting everyone know who is in charge of his foray into free agency.

The Giants know that Bryant will have a strong market once free agency begins following the conclusion of the World Series. That said, it is tough to ignore the fact that the former MVP seems to be a perfect fit for a team whose competitive window unexpectedly opened this season. Does he want to be a long-term fixture in San Francisco? That remains to be seen.

Nevertheless, Kris Bryant has quickly become a fan favorite since joining the SF Giants. Set to become a free agent at the end of the season, the slugger is saying all the right things to suggest he hopes to sign an extension to remain in the Orange-and-Black for years to come.