Bryant Kris-crosses all over the field

CHICAGO — When Joe Maddon talked to Kris Bryant last year about moving from third base to the outfield from time to time, he cautioned the then-rookie about not changing the way he throws. The Cubs’ manager didn’t want Bryant to injure his right arm.

Maddon, however, didn’t give Bryant a heads-up about the long run to the outfield.

“That’s by far the worst — as silly as it sounds,” Bryant said, laughing about the difference between playing third and the outfield. “It’s a lot further to run than you’d think.”

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And if Bryant has to run in from the outfield to hit, that compounds the matter.

“The worst thing is when you’re leading off the inning and you’re in left field and [the team] is in the first-base dugout,” he said. “You’ve got to run in and get your stuff on and they’ve got the clocks, and I get into the box and I’m like, ‘Geez, everything is moving so fast.’ The run and the run back is the worst part there.”

Bryant, 24, isn’t complaining, and switching positions hasn’t affected his performance at the plate. He’s tied with teammate Anthony Rizzo for second in the National League in RBIs with 35, and he’s in the top 10 in the league in home runs, hitting his 10th on Wednesday. As a third baseman, Bryant is batting .281 with six home runs and 16 RBIs, and as an outfielder, he’s …

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