WATCH: Chicago Cubs' Christopher Morel Gives Tearful Mid-Game Goodbye After Trade To Rays For Isaac Paredes

Grab the Kleenex!

The Chicago Cubs (50-56) opted to become ‘buyers’ at the MLB trade deadline and pulled off a solid upgrade on Sunday, acquiring Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Isaac Paredes. 

To acquire Paredes, the Cubs had to sever ties with third baseman Christopher Morel, a fan-favorite player riding a season-long slump.

KANSAS CITY, MO - JULY 26: Chicago Cubs third base Christopher Morel (5) before an MLB game between the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals on July 26, 2024 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City,  MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Despite his shortcomings this year, following a strong 2023 campaign when he led the club in home runs (26), Morel was admired in and out of the dugout for being a good teammate, which made the news of his departure difficult, especially for Morel.

Broadcast cameras caught the moment Morel was informed of the trade and was visibly emotional as he bid farewell to his teammates. 

Sad stuff, indeed.

WATCH:

Diehard Cubs fans (like my bud Arthur) felt conflicted about Morel's departure but appreciated the upgrade to Paredes. (What a ruthless fan base.)

For a significant part of the season, Morel struggled with a low batting average, a high whiff rate, and a .676 OPS, while also making some defensive mistakes.

Isaac Paredes, 25, provides an upgrade on defense while hitting .247/.355/.438 with 16 home runs this season.

ESPN's Jeff Passan broke the news, announcing that Chicago would also send a pair of prospects to the Rays.

Paredes was a hot trade candidate heading into the weekend as Tampa Bay embraced a ‘sell-off’ approach ahead of the July 30 deadline.

For the past year, the Rays roster has taken a drastic hit, starting with the dreadful news involving Wander Franco, which left them on the wrong end of the trade deadline. 

Tampa Bay shipped off starting pitcher Zach Eflin and outfielder Randy Arozarena earlier this week and is fully committed to a rebuild by also trading off Paredes.

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 20: Isaac Paredes #17 of the Tampa Bay Rays in action during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on July 20, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)

The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers were rumored to be in a bidding war over Paredes. The Cubs are closing the year by making bold moves at the trade deadline — let's see if it pays off.

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