Kris Bryant denies rumors he was hung over during Thursday’s game
As Chicago Cubs rookie Kris Bryant is already learning, the price of fame includes being connected to a constant flow of rumors, many of which are not worth a second thought or response.
However, Bryant found it necessary to respond to rumors stemming from his early exit from Thursday’s afternoon game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team exit announced Bryant’s exit was due to “flu-like symptoms.” However, to many those terms were more likely a cover up than reference to an actual illness, with the speculation being that Bryant was hung over following a night of partying.
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While that’s certainly been true a time or 10,000 throughout baseball’s history, Bryant wanted to make sure we knew that wasn’t the case with him on Thursday. Here’s what he told the media ahead of Friday’s game in St. Louis.
Yeah, we know Bryant isn’t going anywhere any time soon, so that about the strongest denial possible. Not even Scott Boras can concoct a plan to get around that.
Bryant added that he hasn’t been feeling well dating back to the Cubs visit to Minnesota over the weekend. He pointed to allergies as a possible cause, though obviously they hadn’t flared up enough to keep from playing in night game’s on Monday through Wednesday.
Bryant, by the way, was back in the Cubs lineup on Friday where he went 1 for 4 with an RBI in Chicago’s 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Though Bryant and the Cubs are the only ones who know for sure, there’s no real reason to question Bryant’s story or make any assumptions. But it’s at least noteworthy that he bothered addressing it. That may prove unwise, as some people will view the acknowledgment as a reason to jump to that conclusion should he be forced to miss another day game after a night game. Then again, those who want to think it will think it regardless of what’s said or acknowledged publicly.
Again, that’s just the price of fame and playing third base on the north side of Chicago, where the spotlight is on 24/7.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
