Jul 21, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Isaac Paredes (17) reacts after striking out against the New York Yankees during the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Cubs acquired All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes from the Tampa Bay Rays for third baseman Christopher Morel and two minor leaguers on Sunday.
Paredes was named an All-Star for the first time this season. He is batting .245 with 16 homers and 55 RBIs in 101 games.
"As we have stated, our goal is to add players that will help us not just this season, but into the future," Cubs president of operations Jed Hoyer said in a statement announcing the trade. "In the last two days, we feel we have worked toward that by trading for those types of controllable players. Acquiring Paredes adds a proven bat to our lineup immediately and for years to come."
Paredes, 25, established career bests for homers (31) and RBIs (98) last season. He has a .233 career average through Sunday's play, along with 69 homers and 209 RBIs in 412 games with the Detroit Tigers (2020-21) and Rays (2022-24).
Paredes was originally signed by the Cubs for $500,000 as an undrafted free agent in 2015 before being traded to Detroit at the 2017 trade deadline.
Paredes went 0-for-2 with a walk and hit by pitch in Tampa Bay's 2-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds. He also made two throwing errors.
Morel, 25, batted once on Sunday before being pulled from the game. He was seen grabbing his bats and exchanging hugs with teammates in the bottom of the third inning of the game against the Kansas City Royals.
He commented on the trade on his Instagram accout.
"Right now I can't think or speak, tears are coming out, but my soul and my heart will always be in Chicago," Morel said.
Morel is batting .199 with 18 homers and 51 RBIs in 103 games this season. He has struck out 103 times.
In three seasons with Chicago, Morel has 60 homers, 168 RBIs and a .228 average through 323 games.
Tampa Bay also receives right-handers Ty Johnson and Hunter Bigge in the deal.
Johnson, 22, went 1-4 with a 3.54 ERA in 18 appearances (10 starts) at two Class-A affiliates this season. He was a 15th-round pick in 2023.
Bigge, 26, was a 12th-round pick in 2019. He has a 2.70 ERA in four big-league appearances this season, while also going 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in 14 appearances at three different levels in the minors.
The trade of Paredes comes just three days after Tampa Bay traded 2020 postseason hero Randy Arozarena to the Seattle Mariners.
