Isaac Paredes traded to Cubs

KANSAS CITY — Isaac Paredes is returning to the place it began.

“As we now have said, our objective is so as to add gamers that can assist us not simply this season, however into the longer term,” Hoyer mentioned in an announcement asserting the commerce. “Within the final two days, we really feel we now have labored towards that by buying and selling for these forms of controllable gamers. Buying Paredes provides a confirmed bat to our lineup instantly and for years to return.”

Paredes initially signed with the Cubs for $500,000 out of Mexico in 2015, and now returns to the membership that gave him an opportunity to interrupt into the Majors.

TRADE DETAILS
Cubs obtain: 3B Isaac Paredes
Rays obtain: INF Christopher Morel, RHP Hunter Bigge (Cubs No. 29 prospect), RHP Ty Johnson

Paredes, who earned his first All-Star nod this season, was one of many largest bats in the marketplace, and elongates a Cubs lineup that has struggled mightily for the reason that begin of Could. The 25-year-old third baseman is slashing .245/.357/.435 with 16 homers and 55 RBIs in 101 video games this season. Paredes hit a career-high 31 residence runs and drove in 98 runs a yr in the past. He’s beneath group management by 2027, becoming into Hoyer’s technique of not solely making an attempt to make Chicago higher in ‘24, however in ‘25 and past as properly. He primarily performs third base however can fill in at second and first as wanted.

Paredes has tapped into his pull-side energy, which supplies Chicago energy it was missing on the third-base place. The Cubs might additionally look to enhance offensively at catcher by way of the commerce market after struggling to search out consistency since Yan Gomes earlier this season and turning to Miguel Amaya and Christian Bethancourt behind the plate.

Morel, who was hitting fifth because the designated hitter Sunday towards the Royals, has proven flashes on the plate, however entered the finale towards Kansas Metropolis batting simply .199 with a .675 OPS in 103 video games. Morel hugged Cubs teammates and coaches in the course of the third and fourth innings within the dugout at Kauffman Stadium earlier than making his departure.

Morel posted on his Instagram story a photograph of him in a Cubs uniform with the caption: “Proper now I can’t suppose or converse, tears are popping out, however my soul and my coronary heart will all the time be in Chicago, Philippians 4:13.”

The 25-year-old had been spending all his time at third or DH this season after beginning his profession shifting across the infield and outfield. Morel has been one of many Cubs’ most energetic gamers since his arrival, together with his walk-off residence run towards the White Sox final season exhibiting the kind of participant Morel might be at his greatest.

Bigge, who was chosen within the twelfth spherical within the 2019 MLB Draft, made his huge league debut this season, compiling a 2.70 ERA over 3 1/3 innings throughout 4 outings in July. In 42 video games between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa final season, Bigge had a 4.50 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 54 innings.

Johnson, a 22-year-old who was at Excessive-A South Bend, was in his first season with the group after getting chosen within the fifteenth spherical only a yr in the past. The precise-hander has a 3.54 ERA in 18 video games between Single-A and Excessive-A this season, placing out 81 batters in 61 complete innings.

The transfer comes at some point after the Cubs added Pearson, who’s beneath group management by ‘26. The Cubs are nonetheless in place to make strikes forward of Tuesday’s Commerce Deadline.