Christopher Morel homers for the Tampa Bay Rays in return to Wrigley Field

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CHICAGO (AP) — Christopher Morel got a chance to catch up with some old friends on Friday.

He made quite the impression in his return to Wrigley Field.

Morel hit a three-run homer for the Tampa Bay Rays in their 6-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs. It was his first game against his former team.

“It feels very good. I'm very happy,” Morel said through a translator when asked about the reception he got from his former teammates and the crowd. “This was the organization that gave me my first opportunity in the big leagues. So having the support of fans, it's something that, it's great. It was great having that adrenaline being here in Chicago.”

Chandler Simpson hit a leadoff single and Yandy Díaz walked before Morel batted in the first inning against Matthew Boyd. After hearing some cheers from the crowd of 38,794, he hit a towering drive into the bleachers in left-center.

The 26-year-old Morel also homered in his first at-bat at Wrigley in his major league debut on May 17, 2022, against Pittsburgh.

“I wasn't even thinking about it,” Morel said. “You know, again, all the glory to God because he's the one who puts me in those positions so I can do that.”

Morel's 11th homer of the season provided a fast start for a Tampa Bay team on the fringe of the AL wild-card race. But that was his only hit of the afternoon as the Rays lost for the sixth time in seven games.

With his energetic style and enthusiastic smile, Morel quickly became a fan favorite in Chicago after his successful debut three years ago. He hit 16 homers in his first season and 26 more the following year, when he batted .247 with 70 RBIs.

But the free-swinging Morel struck out 270 times in 220 games in his first two seasons, and the Cubs shipped him off to Tampa Bay in the Isaac Paredes deal in July 2024.

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