With free agency going on, baseball experts find any reason to link a team with a player. Such is the case with Kris Bryant. One of the latest rumors has the Colorado Rockies interested in his services, an idea that makes sense given their lack of an impact bat in the middle of their lineup. However, the question is why Bryant would want to go to a team with virtually no chance of winning anything.
Jon Heyman has a reason why. He claims that the Rockies are close to Bryant’s hometown of Las Vegas, provided that 725.4 miles can be considered nearby.
The Rockies are interested in Kris Bryant as they are obviously aiming to compete in 2022. Geographically it would certainly work for Bryant, a Las Vegas native.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 30, 2021
Kris Bryant could just wait three years
Bryant could have a closer option in just a few years’ time. The Oakland A’s stadium situation is far from settled, with the team potentially relocating to Las Vegas in the future. However, any potential relocation would likely occur after the 2024 season when the A’s lease on the Coliseum is over.
At this point, it is more likely that the A’s stay in Oakland. Progress is being made on their long coveted Howard Terminal Project, giving them the waterfront stadium that they would want. Infrastructure is being figured out, the City of Oakland is working to secure funding, and there is hope that the A’s may finally have a new home.
But the A’s are not just waiting for Oakland. They have made an offer for a plot of land in Las Vegas that they could build a new stadium on. Howard Hughes Corp. has offered the team a free plot of land to relocate to Summerlin. The A’s future may well involve heading to Nevada.
And that could make a difference for Bryant. If being near his hometown is as big of a draw as Heyman makes it sound, he could theoretically add an opt-out after the third year of any contract he signs. In that case, and with the A’s hypothetically looking to spend money to justify that new stadium, Bryant could head home once more.
Obviously, there are a lot of moving parts to make such a deal happen. There is no indication that being close to Las Vegas is a motivating factor. However, if it is, the A’s could be a surprise option for Bryant in the coming years.
There is the belief that Kris Bryant wants to play closer to his hometown of Las Vegas. He may just have to wait three years and join the Oakland A’s.