Not-so-crazy trade proposals for Kris Bryant

An extremely juicy rumor hit the Hot Stove on Friday: What if the Cubs were open to trading Kris Bryant?
On the surface, it's stunning to even think about, because Bryant has been one of the main faces of the mini-dynasty that finally broke the World Series curse on the North Side. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 MLB Draft, Bryant was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2015, the NL Most Valuable Player in 2016 and remains under team control for three more years until he reaches free agency following the 2021 season.
For those reasons and so many more -- like the fact that subtracting a talent like this is an odd way to fix an offense that's going to be on its third hitting coach in three years, or the fact that the shoulder injury that likely caused his second-half power outage might mean that the timing is not right to extract full value via trade -- this is almost certainly not going to happen. Trades like this rarely happen, and it's probably better if the Cubs just keep Bryant and then go sign Bryce Harper.
Yet you at least understand where these reports are coming from, anyway. Ideally, the Cubs reach a long-term agreement to keep Bryant in Chicago for years to come, but Bryant reportedly turned down an offer to do exactly that last winter. You imagine the Cubs are right now watching the Nationals possibly lose Harper for nothing more than Qualifying Offer compensation, or saw the decent-but-not-great package the Orioles got for Manny Machado by waiting until midway through his final season to move him, and thinking to themselves: If we can't extend him, which Scott Boras clients rarely do, we don't want that to be us.

"Given what we're trying to accomplish, it would be virtually impossible to envision the deal that would make sense to move them," Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said at the GM meetings this week of the prospect of trading either Bryant or Anthony Rizzo. "I just don't believe in untouchables. Why limit yourself?"
That's exactly right. It's hard to see this happening for at least another year, but as Epstein said, there's no such thing as an untouchable player. If the right deal came along, they would have to at least consider it. So let's have some weekend fun, before the Hot Stove really gets going. Let's help out the Cubs. Is there any team that could offer the right deal? We need a contending team, with a hole at third base, ideally with pitching to offer.
Cleveland Indians
Key piece: Corey Kluber
Speaking of trade rumors that might not actually happen: Hey, did you know that Cleveland reportedly might make Kluber, Trevor Bauer or Carlos Carrasco available? The Indians' situation is not dissimilar to the Cubs, in that it never hurts to at least listen.
The idea of Kluber being on the table should tell you a little about the caliber of talent that would be required for the Cubs to not simply hang up the phone and he, assuming team options are exercised, is signed for the next three years at $40.5 million, roughly similar to what Bryant might get in arbitration. Cleveland could then very easily place Bryant at third base and keep José Ramírez at second; imagine an infield with Bryant, Ramirez, and Francisco Lindor? Imagine a Cubs rotation with some combination of Kluber, Kyle Hendricks, Cole Hamels, Jon Lester, José Quintana and later Yu Darvish?
It's a fantastic thought. Too fantastic, really. The best fit between the two teams might be the same as it has been for two years: Kyle Schwarber, future DH.

New York Mets
Key piece: Noah Syndergaard
If new general manager Brodie Van Wagenen really wants to make a splash to reinvigorate one of the weakest offenses in the game, this would be one way to go about doing it: by flipping Syndergaard to the Cubs for Bryant. (Or in some sort of package. These things never happen one-for-one.) 
Like Bryant, Syndergaard is also three seasons from free agency, though he's expected to make less in arbitration during that time, which might be a concern for the Mets. When healthy, he's clearly still among the most talented starting pitchers in the game, and the presence of Todd Frazier is hardly a roadblock to adding Bryant. (Frazier could be traded elsewhere, or become a corner-infield bench bat.)
As a pitcher with a worrisome health history, he's a riskier bet, but the talent is obvious -- and if the financial savings allow them to sign Harper to go with Syndergaard, well, you'd think Cubs fans could get over the departure of Bryant for a pair like that.
Tampa Bay Rays
Key piece: A package of pitching and slugging
If we're going to entertain crazy ideas, let's get really crazy: Bryant and Schwarber as a package to the Rays. Coming off a 90-win season, Tampa Bay ought to be aggressive, and since the Rays have about only $36 million committed to the 2019 roster, they could absolutely afford both Cubs and more. Matt Duffy isn't a roadblock, and all of a sudden the Rays would have an extremely interesting lineup to go with what was a very effective pitching staff from 2018.
Now, what's in it for the Cubs? Here's where it gets complicated, because the Rays probably couldn't trade Blake Snell, their only established starting pitcher. So consider this: recovering top prospect Brent Honeywell Jr., fast-rising first baseman/pitcher Brendan McKay (the No. 4 pick in 2017) and outfielder Tommy Pham, who has actually been just as valuable as Bryant has over the last two seasons, and also has three years of control left, though he's four years older. 
Maybe you prefer Tyler Glasnow to Honeywell. Maybe it's more interesting to get Austin Meadows than Pham. You get the point. With creative thinking, there's a fit here.
Ultimately, none of this is likely to happen. Bryant is projected to be the most valuable third baseman in the game in 2019, and even if you take the under on that, he's very much in the conversation. Those kinds of players just don't get moved this far before free agency. Check back next year when this becomes a far more real conversation.