One day before Anthony Rizzo officially returns to the Chicago Cubs' organization after announcing his retirement earlier this week, another Cubs fan favorite is set to make his Wrigley Field return on Friday afternoon. As the Cubs prepare to host the Tampa Bay Rays this weekend, Christopher Morel will make his return to the Friendly Confines for the first time since being traded last season.
Trading Morel ahead of the 2024 MLB trade deadline marked one of the boldest moves of Jed Hoyer's tenure as the Cubs' President of Baseball Operations. Morel was the enigmatic leader of the Cubs, and while his bat flashed signs of carrying the team's starting lineup, the Cubs' offense was in desperate need of a shakeup.