A big congratulations: to “christopher morel” who today ends his contract with chicago cubs while signing a new contract with…

It doesn’t help that Morel’s offensive production has dipped so far. He entered this season expected to be a cornerstone in the middle of the lineup after hitting 26 homers and slugging .508 in 107 games during the 2023 campaign.

Even though consistent contact has never been a hallmark of his game, he proved last year that he was capable of hitting enough to make an impact.

So far this season, Morel has shown by increasing his walk rate by more than four points (8.4 percent to 12.6 percent) and decreasing his strikeout rate by more than nine points (31.0 percent to 21.9 percent) from 2023 to 2024.

But it seems as if some of that success has come at the expense of what made Morel’s future so exciting. He leads the Cubs with 12 homers, though he’s only slugging .388.

Power has been an issue for the Cubs this season. Seiya Suzuki is their only regular slugging over .450, with Michael Busch and Cody Bellinger the only other regulars with a slugging percentage above .400.

Shaw is the No. 3 prospect in the Cubs’ system, per The 2023 first-round draft pick is hitting .225/.345/.366 with six homers and 15 stolen bases in 54 games at Double-A.

The Cubs could also explore trade options, but it’s unusual to see any significant deals that might impact the pennant race happen this far away from the deadline