The MVP, who has fallen into a ‘money-wasting’ situation, is facing a threat to his career. The condition of Kris Bryant (33, Colorado Rockies), who has been on the injured list for two months due to degenerative disc issues, is concerning.
On the 8th, Thomas Harding, a reporter covering Colorado for MLB.com, reported on Bryant's back condition. According to him, Bryant is only capable of light hitting practice and is still experiencing difficulties running.
Bryant, who underwent a nerve procedure on his back in May and focused on alleviating pain, stated that if additional surgery is necessary, he would have to undergo spinal fusion surgery. He candidly mentioned that in this case, it would be quite difficult to return as a professional player.
On the 8th, after a phone consultation with a doctor in New York, Bryant is considering an experimental treatment rather than surgery with another doctor in Dallas. He is looking for a way to return before the end of the season, but his back is such a chronic problem that recovery is not easy.
Bryant was once a representative face of Major League Baseball. Drafted second overall in the first round by the Chicago Cubs in 2013, he made his debut in 2015 and hit 26 home runs, winning the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year award. In 2016, he played 155 games with a batting average of .295 (176 hits in 603 at-bats), 39 home runs, and 102 RBIs, earning the NL MVP award and helping lead the Cubs to a World Series championship.
Having broken the 108-year-old curse of the goat, Bryant gained national popularity along with his striking appearance. He crowned the list of overall jersey sales in Major League Baseball in 2017 and was selected as an All-Star four times until 2021.
However, after signing a 7-year, $182 million free agent contract with Colorado in March 2022, he has fallen into a ‘money-wasting’ situation. Bryant began experiencing back pain from the very first year of the contract, and he has been placed on the injured list a staggering nine times over four years for issues including plantar fasciitis, heel pain, finger, rib injuries, and more. His back pain continues to recur, and this year, his last game appearance was on April 13 against the San Diego Padres.
Since moving to Colorado, Bryant has only appeared in 170 games over four years. As of the 8th, he has played in only 29.5% of the 577 games that Colorado has participated in. His performance during this period has also been disappointing, batting .244 (154 hits in 632 at-bats) with 17 home runs, 61 RBIs, an on-base percentage of .324, a slugging percentage of .370, and an OPS of .695. It seems that the injuries have affected his performance as he has gotten worse as the years go by. This season, he has hit just .154 (6 hits in 39 at-bats) with no home runs and 1 RBI, with an on-base percentage of .195, a slugging percentage of .205, and an OPS of .400.
As he approaches his mid-30s, his back condition has not improved to the point that it threatens his career, making a rebound difficult. Bryant has a remaining contract with Colorado worth $27 million annually through 2028, totaling 81 million dollars, which is approximately 1.1 billion won.
Denver Sports noted, ‘It is uncertain whether Bryant has played his last game in Major League Baseball. The back injury faced by the former MVP is that serious,’ adding, ‘Bryant has hardly shown a good performance in Colorado, and the team is experiencing its worst season in Major League history, going beyond three consecutive seasons of 100 losses. The 2016 MVP and World Series champion has shown a completely different side in just a few years,’ lamenting the situation.
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