Cubs Morel stays hot, runs hit streak to 6 games
Christopher Morel continued his torrid hitting Friday during the Cubs' 10-3 victory over Baltimore by blasting a third-inning home run and stroking a 2-run double during a 6-run sixth inning that put the game away.
Morel is now riding a six-game hitting streak in which he's gone 11-for-22 with 2 home runs and 8 RBIs. This after going 1-for-28 in the previous 10 games.
Manager David Ross sat Morel out of the Cubs' series against the Angels from June 6-8 then put him back in the lineup against the Giants on June 9.
So was a little time off all Morel needed?
"Sometimes perspective from the side and being able to take a minute ... without pressure to perform is probably healthy for everybody that's going through some struggles," Ross said. "It's a hard balance, right? ...
"Christopher comes every single say with a positive attitude. He's probably got some of the most power I've seen in my career. This guy can really lean on some baseballs. He's found his stride."
Morel has 12 home runs in only 103 at-bats this season, which is 1 HR every 8.58 at-bats - better than anyone who has 12 or more HRs.
Morel, who played left field Wednesday, DHed on Thursday and played center field Friday, is now hitting .301 with a .354 on-base percentage.
"Obviously he struggled for a bit and the hope would be that he makes that adjustment back," president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Wednesday. "That's the challenge of this league. … You have to be able to take that next step and be able to adjust back. Hopefully we're seeing the start of that right now."
Steele ready to return:
Justin Steele will come off the injured list Saturday and start against Baltimore at Wrigley Field. Steele has been on the injured list with a left forearm strain since June 1.
Steele (6-2) ranks second in the NL with a 2.65 ERA. He exited his last start on May 31 against Tampa Bay after just 3 innings when his left arm tightened up on him.
"Getting (Steele) back tomorrow's gonna be fun," said Kyle Hendricks, who pitched 5 innings Friday in the Cubs' 10-3 win over the Orioles. "Just to see him do his thing out there. He's such a huge part of this rotation and this team in general just to keep us rolling."
Shhh!
Dansby Swanson had an understandable reaction when told he's closing in on the record for longest errorless streak in team history by a shortstop.
"Didn't know that, didn't want to know that," said Swanson, who has now gone 52 games without an error. "No, I mean, shoot my job's to catch the ball and to throw it to the right base. I don't really have any words for it. That's for y'all to talk about."
Mick Kelleher holds the Cubs' record at 60 games, completing the feat over four seasons from 1976-79.
Swanson did fail to come up with a hot shot off the bat of Austin Hays in the fourth inning Friday, but it was ruled an RBI single.
Around the horn:
Kyle Hendricks improved to 2-2 and did not walk a batter in 5 innings Friday. He has issued just 1 walk in his last three starts (19 IP). ... Miguel Amaya has reached safely in 11 of his last 13 games. ... The Cubs' four-game winning streak ties their season high (also April 16-19). ... Michael Fulmer extended his streak of not allowing an earned run to eight straight outings.