Rockies plan for 2027 ‘as if we’re not going to have’ Kris Bryant

Kris Bryant’s contract with the Colorado Rockies still has two seasons to run. On Tuesday, the team made clear it isn’t counting on him for either one.

Paul DePodesta, the Rockies’ president of baseball operations, said at the team’s end-of-season news conference that Colorado will build its 2027 roster without Bryant in mind. Bryant, the 2016 National League MVP, missed all of the 2026 season with a degenerative back condition and played just 11 games in 2025.

“I think we have to continue to move forward from a roster-building standpoint as if we’re not going to have him,” DePodesta said. “And if we do, then that’s a great bonus.”

It was the clearest signal from the club of something that has become obvious to anyone watching: Bryant almost certainly is not coming back. He signed a seven-year, $182 million contract before the 2022 season. It was the biggest free-agent deal in team history, and it has turned into one of the worst deals in the history of pro sports.

Bryant has played 170 games for Colorado in five seasons, and none since April 12, 2025. The Rockies put him on the 60-day injured list in February with lumbar degenerative disk disease — he stayed on it all season.

The four-time All-Star hasn’t even been that good on the rare times he does play. He has a slashline of .244/.324/.370 with 17 home runs and 61 RBI over what is just a little more than a full season of games, spread out over five years. His OPS+ of 84 means he’s about 16% worse than the league average hitter, combined with playing corner outfield and first base, Bryant has a -1.6 rWAR, which is one of the worst figures in baseball over that period.

Still, the Rockies have had a better record with him than without him — chalk that up to his leadership or maybe just a slightly below league average player against the heaps of minor leaguers Colorado has been forced to use in his place.

Asked whether the team had discussed restructuring or deferring the rest of Bryant’s salary, DePodesta said nothing had changed.

“There’s nothing new at this point,” he said. “Obviously, Kris wasn’t able to play this year, so we just have to continue to stay in touch with him and see how things progress through the course of this offseason.”

The contract is fully guaranteed, so Bryant will be paid whether he plays or not. Players who retire with money left on a deal generally give up what’s left, which is why few do it. That leaves the Rockies paying a player they’ve effectively written off while they try to climb out of a streak of four-straight years of 100-plus losses.

Club President Walker Monfort said a minority investment from the Penner Sports Group, which owns the Denver Broncos, paid off the debt the team built up during the pandemic and after it lost its regional sports network. He said that gives the Rockies “a ton more flexibility” this offseason than they had a year ago.

Bryant’s salary still takes up room that DePodesta could otherwise spend on starting pitching. That was the team’s biggest weakness this season. DePodesta said the rotation had an ERA around 7.00 after the trade deadline.

Bryant’s time in Colorado has been one injury after another. He has dealt with back trouble since his first season, plus foot problems, a rib contusion and a broken finger. He turns 35 in January.

It’s a long way from Chicago. There, Bryant was the 2015 NL Rookie of the Year, won the MVP award a year later and helped the Cubs win their first World Series in 108 years.

The Rockies hoped he’d be a centerpiece after they traded Nolan Arenado. Their lone star after letting Trevor Story walk that same offseason. Instead, the Rockies have played their worst stretch of ball in club history and are likely moving forward without him.

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