Rays Cut Ties With 26-Year-Old Power Hitter, Admit Defeat On Cubs Trade

Some moves just don't work as intended

Aug 24, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Christopher Morel (24) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Tuesday was a big day for roster moves around Major League Baseball, and the Tampa Bay Rays got rid of a young position player they once had high hopes for.

When the Rays traded third baseman Isaac Paredes to the Chicago Cubs at the July 2024 deadline, they thought they were getting a similar impact bat with more years of control in utility man Christopher Morel, who was coming off a 2023 season with 26 home runs and a 122 OPS+.

Unfortunately, that move has seemingly imploded. While Paredes is no longer with the Cubs (he was traded to the Houston Astros in the Kyle Tucker deal), he made his second All-Star team this season and has remained an impact hitter. Meanwhile, Morel's stock has plummeted.

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Morel DFA'd in active day for Rays

Aug 24, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Christopher Morel (24) hits a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

On Tuesday, Morel was designated for assignment, according to his official MLB.com roster page. That came on the heels of the season where he batted .219 with a .684 OPS (90 OPS+) and accounted for negative-0.3 WAR.

Morel was arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason, and it appears the Rays were thinking about non-tendering him anyway. That also means that if he clears waivers, he has the right to elect free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment to the Rays' Triple-A affiliate.

Bigge pitched well in 13 games out of the bullpen for the Rays this season, but giving up a legitimate starting third baseman for a serviceable reliever isn't a good value proposition. Their best chance to salvage something from the deal might be Johnson, who had a 2.61 ERA as a 23-year-old starter in Double-A.

Perhaps it would be an overreaction to say the Rays have lost their magic touch, but the rest of the league has certainly caught up to them in a sense that they're no longer routinely winning these trades in which they send away their most talented players for youngsters with more years of control.

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