Cubs manager Craig Counsell wasn’t thrilled with ESPN reporter Jesse Rogers’ characterization of a Christopher Morel at-bat Sunday.
The third baseman struck out in the seventh inning with the tying run in scoring position and the Cubs trailing by one run before they later rallied for a 2-1 win over the Diamondbacks in 10 innings.
“Earlier in the game, some of the at-bats… In the seventh inning with Morel, there is a tying run at second. It looked like he was swinging for the lake there,” Rogers said to Counsell. “What do you think about some of those at-bats?”
“Come on Jesse … Come on,” Counsell said while rolling his eyes at the reporter. “That’s your comment? I think that’s a bad take. I think that’s a bad take. He’s swinging for the lake? That’s a bad take.”
Rogers asked Counsell why it was a bad take.
“He’s having a good at-bat trying to hit the ball hard,” Counsell responded. “It didn’t work. The pitcher made a good pitch. He made an out.”
Morel, 25, has struggled on the season for a disappointing Cubs (48-53) team that could be looking to sell at the trade deadline.
Chicago’s underachieving offense expected a step forward from Morel after he led the team in home runs last season.
Instead, Morel has seen his OPS, slugging and hard-hit percentage drop considerably in 2024.
However, he dropped his strikeout rate a few ticks from 2023 to 2024, which was among the worst among starters last year.
Morel is not alone.
The Cubs were expected to be a rising contender this season coming off an 83-79 season.
They surprisingly fired David Ross in the offseason and hired the well-respected Counsell away from the rival Brewers, with the Mets also in the running for his services.
Instead, it’s Milwaukee that leads the NL Central again with Chicago sitting in fourth place and 10 games back.
The Cubs’ trade deadline strategy will be one to keep an eye on along with the division rival Reds.
Cincinnati sits just one half-game behind the Cubs and is in last place in the NL Central and has reportedly told teams it will sell off players on expiring contracts.
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