As part of their 40-man roster shuffling, the Tampa Bay Rays are saying farewell to Christopher Morel. By designating him for assignment, the Rays have a week to trade, waive, or release Morel, who was arbitration-eligible and projected to make $2.6 million next season. With the non-tender deadline coming on Friday, essentially this is the Rays deciding they are going to non-tender Morel anyway, but now they have two days to see if they can make a minor trade first.
It was not a successful run for Morel with the Rays after the Cubs sent him in the Isaac Paredes trade. His post-trade performance in 2024 was exceptionally rough, and he didn’t see enough of a rebound this year to justify keeping around as a bat-mostly starter for the cost-conscious Rays.
That said, given his outrageously loud tools, his relative youth (he’s still only 26), and the possibility of three years of cost control, I have to believe some team out there will take a chance on Christopher Morel for their bench. That could come in a minor trade this week, or it could come in a signing in free agency after a non-tender.
And since we love Christopher Morel around here, I at least had to ask the question: could he fit on the Cubs’ bench?
Firstly, let me point out that, although Morel hit just .219/.289/.396/90 wRC+ on the year, his .317 xwOBA was at least close to league average. And, if I strain myself to find juuuust the right cut-off date, I can state accurately that he was an above-average hitter from May 25 on (102 wRC+).
That said, you’re talking about a guy who has yet to show a propensity for average defense at any position, and he struggled in left field. So he’s a bat-mostly (or only) guy, and even on the bench, you need that guy to hit a lot better than almost-league-average, especially when he doesn’t have pronounced splits to lean on as a part-time guy.
Do I therefore see an obvious fit with the Cubs? I do not. If I felt like he could chip in at third base and second base, and was capable in both left and right field? Then, yes, maybe you wouldn’t mind him being an extra righty bat on the bench, especially because he still has that physical upside. But if it’s just the bat, and if he’s not a lefty-masher type (historically, he isn’t), then it’s pretty hard to see. As fun as it would be to have this guy back.
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