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The Cubs are not one of the mystery teams in on Bryce Harper.

MLB hot stove: Kris Bryant says he's not sure if Bryce Harper is signing with Cubs

The Cubs are probably not one of the mystery teams in on Bryce Harper.

Chicago third baseman, and childhood friend of Harper, Kris Bryant told ESPN on Friday the 2015 National League MVP was less than confident that Harper would join the Cubs.

"I know Bryce, I don't know if he's going to be here," Bryant told NBC Sports Chicago on Friday. "I definitely don't talk to him about it, he's a good friend to me, but I never bring it up to him because I want to be a good friend to him and not talk about baseball when he doesn't want to talk about baseball, but whatever happens, I wish both of them (Harper and Manny Machado) luck."

If Bryce Harper isn't joining the Cubs, Kris Bryant wants to smash him every time they play! pic.twitter.com/T0dE72J9Em
— NBC Sports Chicago (@NBCSChicago) January 18, 2019

Owner Tom Ricketts told ESPN 1000 in Chicago the team would not be in on big free agents this winter.

"We didn't have the flexibility this year to go sign a big free agent and I'm not sure we would have anyway, to be honest,’’ Ricketts said Friday, via Forbes. “We like the team we have. We have strong, young guys at most positions. We have a pretty good lineup. We won 95 games. Obviously it ended the wrong way, but I think everyone feels like the team we're gonna put back out there will be good.’’

Harper remains unsigned in free agency this offseason. But on a closer examination of agent Scott Boras' M.O. that's not too surprising. J.D. Martinez and Eric Hosmer, both Boras clients, didn't sign until February last offseason.

The six-time All-Star has had meetings with several teams already including the Phillies. The Nationals also said they offered him a 10-year, $300 million deal in September in an attempt to re-sign him, but he decided to test free agency.

There are also reportedly several mystery teams out there observing Harper's market. The Cubs just seemingly aren't one of them.

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