The Chicago Cubs have lost a lot since their 2016 World Series championship.

The team has missed the playoffs in five of the last eight seasons and, after Kyle Hendricks departed for the Los Angeles Angels this past winter, the team has lost every player from that World Series roster as well.

Still, fans will remember that team and all of its members fondly after they broke a 108-year championship drought. Which is why it’s been hard to witness the precipitous decline of one of its most talented players, Kris Bryant.

In his 2015 debut with the Cubs, Bryant was an All-Star and the National League’s Rookie of the Year. He followed that up in 2016 with another All-Star appearance, the National League’s Most Valuable Player Award and a World Series title.

He looked to be one of the best young players in all of baseball when he left the Cubs for a $182 million contract with the Colorado Rockies, but injuries have derailed that promise and he’s hit the injured list nine times and appeared in just 170 games since then.

“His injuries have included plantar fasciitis, a bone bruise in his foot, heel issues, a broken finger, a back strain, a lower rib contusion and back problems,” per The Associated Press.

Now, the latest update on Bryant’s health is another hard pill to swallow, as he’s elected to have a significant medical procedure on his back.

“Bryant’s currently on the injured list with lumbar degenerative disk disease, which involves the deterioration of the spinal disks that act as cushions between the vertebrae,” the AP explained. “The upcoming procedure for Bryant is referred to as an ablation, which is designed to interrupt pain signals being sent from the back to the brain.”

It’s a brutal sign of just how much Bryant’s health has deteriorated since that 2016 season — though he can hope that it will be the first step in a journey back to the field.

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