It only took four seasons, but Kris Bryant has finally played 162 games for the Colorado Rockies. Unfortunately, it took parts of four seasons to reach that milestone.

Much has been written and discussed about the ill-fated union between the Rockies and Bryant after the parties agreed to a seven-year $182 million pact in 2022. Bryant was signed in the hopes that he could be the “aircraft carrier” for a young team looking to turn things around and compete. Unfortunately, injuries, particularly a bad back, have limited Bryant’s time on the field and he has looked like a shell of his former self at the plate.

​Kris Bryant’s start to the 2025 MLB season has been notably challenging. Through his first three games, he has gone hitless in 10 at-bats, recording five strikeouts while drawing two walks. This early performance has raised concerns, especially considering his underwhelming spring training.

During the 2025 spring training, Bryant’s offensive struggles were evident. In his first few games he looked better with quick bat speed and hitting a home run in his first few games. However, there wasn’t much production after that in camp. In 14 games, he accumulated 39 plate appearances and 31 at-bats, resulting in only eight total bases. However, while he didn’t exactly play a ton in the exhibition games, he got extensive work on the backfields and in minor league games during camp. While the bat wasn’t potent there was a promising sign of his seven drawn walks against eight strikeouts.

The transition from spring training to the regular season did not bring the anticipated improvement.  The Rockies, as a team, have also experienced offensive difficulties, with a collective strikeout rate of 30.8% after the first four games with Bryant’s struggles just another symptom of their struggles. The Rockies have mentioned that he is struggling to find his timing at the plate. He is swinging late on fastballs and early on off-speed pitches. But if his timing is off, what was he doing in spring training for the last month? Pitchers are offering pitches down and away and Bryant is swinging right over the top of them.

The first instinct to his troubles is to consider the injury history. Over the past three seasons, back injuries have limited him to just 159 games. Recognizing the impact of these injuries, Bryant, along with the Rockies’ medical staff, devised an offseason plan aimed at stabilizing his back to ensure greater availability and performance. During spring training, there were positive signs regarding his physical condition. Manager Bud Black noted that Bryant’s bat speed was reminiscent of his earlier, more productive years, indicating potential for a resurgence.

A deeper look into Bryant’s recent statistics reveals a concerning trend. Over the last two seasons, his average bat speed was recorded at 69 mph, a decline that has been partially attributed to his back issues. Additionally, his average exit velocity has not exceeded 85.7 mph during his tenure with the Rockies, marking the lowest figures of his career. These metrics suggest a decrease in the power and effectiveness of his swings, which could explain his recent struggles at the plate.​ To start the 2025 season he is swinging a quicker bat on average in his brief sample size, but it’s still below the league average of 71 mph and his fast swing rate (swings >=75 mph) is at just 5% on competitive swings. Mix in the fact he has one of the longest swings in baseball, and the strikeouts and timing issues are no real mystery.

How long of a leash will the Rockies afford Bryant? With three seasons still on the books worth about $81 million, the Rockies aren’t likely to eat that money to get rid of him. However, should his struggles continue to a point where it’s actively detrimental and an impediment to the team’s progress, they will have to seriously consider taking action. With a number of prospects making their way to the majors, production has to be the deciding factor in whether a player is in the lineup or not.

Despite the challenging start, it is a small sample size. Bryant could find his timing shortly and find his rhythm as the designated hitter. There can be cautious optimism regarding his ability to rebound. However, translating the positive indicators from the offseason and spring training into consistent regular-season performance is crucial and often easier said than done.

While there are signs that Bryant is addressing the physical challenges that have hindered his performance over the last few years, the onus remains on him to translate offseason efforts into tangible results on the field. The coming weeks will be pivotal in determining whether Bryant can overcome these hurdles and reestablish himself as a key contributor to the Rockies’ lineup or if it’s time to bite the bullet and cast the contract on the albatross pile.