Cubs acquire INF Isaac Paredes from the Rays for 3B Christopher Morel and 2 minor leaguers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chicago Cubs acquired All-Star infielder Isaac Paredes from the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday for third baseman Christopher Morel and two minor leaguers.

Paredes is batting .245 with 16 homers and 55 RBIs in 101 games this season. He signed with Chicago as an amateur free agent in 2015, but he was traded to Detroit two years later and made his big league debut with the Tigers in 2020.

The Cubs, who are focused on the future ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline, sent Morel and right-handers Hunter Bigge and Ty Johnson to the Rays.

The 25-year-old Morel set career highs with 26 homers, 70 RBIs and a .247 batting average last year, but he has struggled this season.

“He’s a special human. We’re going to miss his energy for sure, his smile,” Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong said of Morel.

“Reaching his full Christopher Morel potential every day is a guy showing up every day in the clubhouse. I don’t think he was hitting the way he wanted to, but he still had 18 homers.”

Morel was the designated hitter for Sunday’s game at Kansas City. He popped out in the second and then was a part of some hugs in the Cubs’ dugout in the bottom of the third. He was replaced by a pinch hitter in the fourth.

“It’s always strange telling someone during the game that they’ve been traded. It was certainly surprising and shocking to Chris,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s provided Cubs fans a lot of memories in a short time here. In the end, we think we got a third baseman who’s been a good offensive player in this league, one who can do really well for us at that position.

“He has an outlook and demeanor that makes it fun to be around him. He loves playing, and that joy that’s just his outlook on life is present no matter what’s going on. It’s indicated by how he treats people. He’s an example for all of us.”

Bigge, 26, was a 12th-round pick in the 2019 amateur draft out of Harvard University. He has no record and a 2.70 ERA in four major league relief appearances — all coming this month.