Ten years after the Chicago Cubs broke a 108-year curse and captured the 2016 World Series title, the team held a private celebration to honor that unforgettable run. It was a moment for reflection, reconnection, and recognition of a group that made baseball magic on the North Side. But one key figure was noticeably absent: Kris Bryant.
Bryant, who fielded the final out of Game 7 and launched that historic throw to Anthony Rizzo, wasn’t at the reunion. And according to a report from The Score Chicago, it wasn’t by choice. The Colorado Rockies, Bryant’s current team, reportedly didn’t allow him to attend the event.
That decision raised some eyebrows, especially considering that other active players from the 2016 squad-like Javier Báez and Kyle Schwarber-were in the building. That suggests this wasn’t a blanket policy about active players participating, but more of a team-specific call by the Rockies.
The event coincided with the Cubs’ annual offseason fan convention, which may have played a role in the Rockies’ stance. These conventions are typically team-branded affairs, and having a current player from another organization show up-even for a reunion-might’ve felt awkward from a PR perspective.
Still, there was reportedly a separate, private segment solely for the 2016 team. That part of the celebration, at least, seems like something Bryant could’ve-and arguably should’ve-been part of.
After all, Bryant wasn’t just on that team-he was a cornerstone of it. The 2016 NL MVP, a three-time All-Star during his Cubs tenure, and the guy who secured the final out that ended over a century of heartbreak in Wrigleyville. His role in that championship is etched into the city’s sports lore.
These days, Bryant’s career has taken a tough turn. Injuries have derailed his time in Colorado, and he hasn’t been able to recapture the form that once made him one of the most electric players in the game. But that doesn’t change what he meant to Chicago-or what that moment meant to Cubs fans.
Cubs Nation will always remember that final play: the slow roller to third, Bryant’s grin as he fielded it cleanly, and the throw to Rizzo that sealed the deal. It was the exclamation point on one of the most iconic seasons in baseball history.
Even if he couldn’t be there in person, Kris Bryant’s legacy from 2016 was felt in every cheer, every highlight reel, and every memory shared at that reunion. His place in Cubs history is secure-and no team policy can change that.