Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant lost his service-time grievance against the club this week, ensuring the team’s control of his contractual rights through the 2021 season. Setting aside the broader implications of that result, this decision dramatically increases the trade value for Bryant. The Cubs had engaged in talks with several clubs regarding Bryant from the GM meetings through the Winter Meetings, then put those talks on hold until the official determination came down on when he would be eligible for free agency.



The Cubs are retooling. They believe they need to get younger, create more payroll flexibility and begin a different path toward winning their next World Series. They started this offseason with the departure of Joe Maddon and the subsequent hiring of David Ross as manager. Now it’s time for them to start making changes to the major-league roster, and all signs point to a Bryant trade as a potential start to their next phase of reshaping the...