Chicago Cubs Rumors: More informed speculation of potential Christopher Morel trade

The Hot Stove season remains about three weeks from beginning in earnest and now is the time for speculative pieces in regard to what the approach will be for the Chicago Cubs this off-season.

One of the biggest question marks that the Cubs will need to answer this off-season is what the plan is for Christopher Morel. Morel hit 26 home runs last season but his lack of a defined position makes his future with the team uncertain.

That would be one of the reasons, for a second time in the past month, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic pointed out the possibility if not likelihood that Morel is traded this winter.

"There are young players in the big leagues who have flashed what they can do, like Daniel Palencia, Christopher Morel and Miguel Amaya. Perhaps another team values them more than the Cubs — that could certainly be the case with Palencia if a team wants to try him as a starter, or with Morel if an organization has a hole at second or runway to try him elsewhere on the field."

- The Athletic

For a Cubs teams that prefers to use the designated hitter's spot in the lineup as a way to keep position players at-bats while giving them a break from playing in the field, it would seem unlikely that the team wants to enter the 2024 season with Morel occupying the designated hitter's role.

The issue for the Cubs is that Morel's best defensive position is second base but even with that in mind, Nico Hoerner is the second best fielders on the Cubs' roster and is a perennial Gold Glove candidate at the second base position. There has been a hesitancy from the Cubs of playing Morel at third base and while it is possible that development can be. had this off-season, that wouldn't be the best gamble for a team entering the 2024 season with the expectation of making the leap from good to great.

At this point, there is likelihood that Morel is traded this off-season and Cubs fans will need to prepare themselves for that reality. The key for the Cubs will be ensuring that Morel is a traded in a deal that also allows them to address one of their more pressing needs.

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