In late January, we learned that Kris Bryant had lost his service-time grievance against the Cubs and thus would not be a free agent until after the 2021 season.
Now, the Associated Press has acquired a copy of arbitrator Mark Irvings’ 42-page decision in Bryant’s case and we now know more about what this ruling means — and what it doesn’t. Regarding the MLB Players’ Association’s position:
“The association could not satisfy its burden of proving that the Cubs’ assignments of Bryant were done in bad faith to mask service time manipulation,” Irvings wrote.