ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays made nine moves before Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline. They acquired 14 minor league players, mostly to build for the future.
But when they dealt all-star third baseman Isaac Paredes to the Chicago Cubs, they got utility player Christopher Morel in return. Morel hit a 420-foot home run in the Rays’ debut on Tuesday night against Miami.
“He’s highly athletic, a lot of power, very young,” manager Kevin Cash said. “It seems like he has a very big smiley personality, which any clubhouse will take."
Morel was surprised by the trade. He got the news during the Cubs Sunday game in Kansas City.
“I didn’t really expect it,” Morel said through interpreter Manny Navarro. “It was a little bit hard, especially during the game, trying to say goodbye to my teammates, but I appreciate everything with all my heart that the organization, the Cubs, did for me. And they gave me another opportunity to play in the big leagues. I am very happy about that.”
With Tampa Bay losing so many players in such a short period of time, it creates a challenge of piecing together a line-up for Cash.
“The challenge is we love our guys,” he said. “The flip side of that is that it’s exciting, energizing to get some new people in here and get to know them.”
And one thing Rays fans should know about Morel is that he plays the game with a smile on his face and on his glove.
“The smiley face is showing me every time I go see that smile it’s an opportunity to enjoy no matter what happens,” he said.
Morel has already homered in his first two games in a Rays uniform.
