Christopher Morel Trade: Jed Hoyer addresses Cubs' blockbuster move

The Chicago Cubs sent shockwaves throughout Major League Baseball on Sunday when the team dealt Christopher Morel and a pair of pitching prospects to the Tampa Bay Rays for third baseman Isaac Paredes.

Over the past two seasons, Paredes has ascended toward being one of the best offensive third basemen in baseball. In other words, Paredes took the step in his offensive development that the Cubs were hoping to see Morel take.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer was quick to defend Morel this past offseason, when his name was speculated to be involved in trade discussions with the team he had just been traded to.

While it would seem likely that Hoyer will address the media after the Trade Deadline on Tuesday night, he did issue a statement after the trade became official on Sunday.

Before diving into Hoyer's actual comments, it is fair to make note that Christopher Morel was not specifically mentioned. That's not to say that the relationship between Morel and the Cubs soured but nonetheless, is something that was notable.

What Hoyer was making reference to was the comments he made last week when admitting that the Cubs would be looking to add impact talent to the roster for seasons beyond 2024. In other words, the Paredes move was done to add the Cubs an impact bat for not only this season but for the seasons ahead as he isn't a free agent until 2028.

This is not to defend Hoyer, who still has to answer for the roster construction failures to start the season, but it should provide a clearer picture of the moves he is looking to make as the deadline approaches. Hoyer is not moving players off the Major League roster for lottery tickets; he wants controllable talent that is ready to contribute.