Kris Bryant has reportedly lost his grievance against the Chicago Cubs seeking an extra year of service.
The decision was made Wednesday, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan, and will mean that Bryant will not be eligible to become a free agent until after the 2021 season.
The grievance dates back to Bryant's call-up in 2015, when the Cubs waited to bring the highly touted prospect onto their big league roster until the first two weeks of the season had elapsed.
By doing so, the Cubs were able to push Bryant's entry into unrestricted free agency back by one year, giving them seven years of control over his services.
Bryant filed a grievance against the Cubs in the case, saying that the team had unfairly manipulated his service time to gain an extra year of control over his contract status.
Ultimately the arbitrator disagreed, leaving Bryant under team control for the next two seasons.
Even with all the furor over the contract, Bryant has had an impactful career with the Cubs, winning National League Rookie of the Year honors in 2015 and the league's MVP award in 2016.
Chicago Baseball
Bryant recently agreed to a 1-year contract with the Cubs for the 2020 season, avoiding salary arbitration.
He has repeatedly said he would be willing to negotiate a long-term extension with the team to keep him in Chicago beyond 2021, but negotiations have been slow-moving between the Cubs and Bryant's agent Scott Boras.
