Kris Bryant Makes Big Declaration As Back Pain 'Affecting Everyday Life'

Kris Bryant signed a 7-year, $182 million free agent deal with the Colorado Rockies in 2022, that, at this point, looks like one of the worst contracts ever handed out in baseball (non-Anthony Rendon Division). Because of various ailments, most notably with his back, Bryant has averaged just 42 games a season in each of the first four years of his deal.

Now, the 33-year-old says his lumbar degenerative disc disease is affecting his everyday life. But does that mean he's going to retire and leave the remaining $78 million on the table? Not a chance.

"Watching the playoffs and seeing some of my friends still playing, that gives me the motivation to try and play," said Bryant. "So I don’t have those conversations [about retirement], thank goodness, because I don’t want to. I just want to be a baseball player.” (and earn another $78M).

So no retirement for Bryant, who played only 11 games last season with one RBI and a .154 average.

He told the Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders about the impact his back issues have on his life off the field:

It’s exhausting for me waking up and hoping to feel (better). I can’t tell you the last time I woke up feeling I’m in a good spot….If you asked me two or three months ago, I would say it was not affecting my everyday life. But now it is, which is really annoying to me because usually when you kind of just rest, it’s supposed to get better.

In 170 games total over four seasons in Colorado, Bryant has 17 homers and 61 RBIs with a .695 OPS. In his seven years with the Chicago Cubs, which convinced the Rockies to give him that massive contract, he launched 160 HR with 465 RBIs and an .886 OPS, a Rookie of the Year, an MVP Award, and a World Series ring.