David Ross’ Cubs faced former teammate Kris Bryant Thursday for the first time since Bryant signed his megadeal with the Rockies.
Ross, who helped the Cubs navigate COVID-19 protocols to win a division title during a shortened pandemic season in his first year as a manager in 2020, signed a three-year extension before spring training began.
Bryant, who played for Ross the manager the last two seasons, got serious just long enough to remember Ross’ influence on him, Anthony Rizzo and a lot of the other especially young players during what could have been a constant pressure-cooker of a run to that championship. “He was essentially like a player-manager when we played together,” Bryant said. “I’m just super happy for him, super happy for his success.”