Utility player Christopher Morel didn't believe he was returning to the majors.
Morel said manager Marty Pevey told him he was joining the Cubs in Chicago at the Columbus, Ohio, airport with Triple-A Iowa. Pevey was serious, but Morel laughed.
The Cubs summoned up Morel, who started the season with a 1.156 OPS in Triple-A, before their 3-1 loss to the Cardinals on Monday. They optioned outfielder Nelson Velazquez to Triple-A.
‘‘The major thing we spoke about was just getting him a little bit more seasoning and at-bats consistently,’’ manager David Ross said.
‘Those weren’t available up here. We'll find places to transfer him. He burned down the world. Upcoming, he deserves this.
Triple-A Morel produced. He had 11 homers. His.425 on-base percentage came via walks.
I tried to trust myself. Morel stated. ‘‘Tried to enjoy the game and trying to make the team’s adjustments and just feel I can do it.’’
When he was sent down from spring training, the Cubs wanted him to reduce his strikeouts. ‘‘More mentality,’’ he remarked. Controlling what you can, being patient, and slowing the game.
Ross contrasted Morel's desire for big-league playing time to Velazquez's earlier this season. Velazquez's bat cooled due to fewer at-bats.
Ross added, ‘‘Hopefully, that’s a combination we can rely on and mix both those men in at times, depending on who’s here and how things go.