(670 The Score) Cubs rookie outfielder Christopher Morel has cooled down after a red-hot start, but manager David Ross isn't worried. He believes Morel is amid the process of learning to adjust after big league pitchers have adjusted to him.
"It's just about continuing to let him develop and play," Ross said on the Bernstein & Holmes Show on Tuesday. "We're in a situation where you got to let guys go through some struggles. I think every major leaguer has some sort of adversity, and I talk about that a lot and how that builds the character of just being able to have a sustained, long career in Major League Baseball. When the league the adjusts to you, you got to adjust back and continue to pound on the foundation that got you there. Like you said, the burst that he came on the scene for us, you understand that's really hard to sustain."
Morel, 23, reached base in the first 22 games of his MLB career, at which point he had a .916 OPS. He has slowed down since. He's 7-of-39 (.179) with no homers, one RBI and 18 strikeouts in his past nine games.
Morel is hitting five homers with 15 RBIs and a .758 OPS in 37 games overall.
"You see that potential there," Ross said. "You just continue to stay positive and create the good work habits and the good routines. And then when you see him getting off track, whether it's swinging outside the zone or not taking his walks or not having a real plan up there, then you just start to reiterate, 'Hey, when you're good, these are the things that you do well, this is your plan, this is what you established early on when you were up here raking. Let's not get away from those.' You just continue to reinforce some of those positives."
Listen live to 670 The Score via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker
