The Major League Baseball Player's Association has released a strongly worded statement regarding the Chicago Cubs' decision to option Kris Bryant to begin the season.

"Today is a bad day for baseball. We all know that if @KrisBryant_23 were a combination of the greatest Players to play our great game, and perhaps he will be before it's all said and done, the @Cubs still would have made the decision they made today. This decision, and other similar decisions made by clubs will be addressed in litigation, bargaining or both," the statement read.

Sending Bryant to the Minor Leagues for a few weeks to begin the 2015 season will allow the Cubs to control him for an additional year, delaying his free agency.