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Feb. 26 (UPI) -- Chicago Cubs star Kris Bryant received a false alert this off-season that he had been traded to the New York Mets. Bryant had to contact his agent and the Cubs' front office to make sure the information was inaccurate. Bryant -- who has been mentioned in many trade rumors over the past few seasons -- detailed the incident to reporters Thursday at training camp.
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He said he received a text message several weeks ago that read "welcome to the Mets." He immediately called agent Scott Boras, who then spoke to Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer. Hoyer then relayed that the information was inaccurate.
"That's the kind of stuff that I feel like is nice to know, when there's something that's completely false," Bryant told reporters Thursday on a Zoom video conference.
"Because at the end of the day, we are all human, and sometimes when you get a text that says something like that. It's like, well, that might kind of mess with me a little bit."
Bryant, 29, hit .206 with four home runs and 11 RBIs last season. He appeared in just 34 games while limited by injuries. The three-time All-Star and 2016 National League MVP hit .282 with 31 home runs and 77 RBIs in 147 games in 2019.
He has spent his entire six-year MLB tenure with the Cubs and won a World Series with the franchise in 2016.
Bryant is on the final year of his contract with the Cubs. He has a $19.5 million salary this season and is set to become a free agent next off-season.
He has said in the past that he is open to remain with the National League Central team and reaffirmed that notion Thursday.
"I guess I can kind of sound like a broken record," Bryant said. "I've always said I've been open and willing to hear whatever Jed now has to say, and would take it with open arms and consider everything that is thrown my way.
"I think I've communicated that well with them."
The Cubs start their 2021 spring training schedule with a game against the San Diego Padres at 3:10 p.m. EST Monday in Peoria, Ariz.
