Craig Counsell must learn from long-awaited Cubs lineup change that paid off immediately

Christopher Morel maybe be one of the most exciting young players the Chicago Cubs have to offer but his performance in 2024 so far hasn't lived up to the hype. It took nearly three months but manager Craig Counsell finally helped him out.

Batting .198/.302/.373 with an OPS of .675, Morel's worsening slump has hurt the Cubs offense, especially coming from the cleanup spot.

Cubs fans begged Counsell to move the struggling young hitter and he did...to the 2-hole where things somehow got worse. In six appearances there in June, Morel went 1-for-24 with seven strikeouts.

It was fairly clear that too much pressure was on Morel and it was getting to his head. So when Counsell dropped Morel into the No. 6 spot, it was a welcome change. And it paid off immediately.

Christopher Morel looks like a new man further down the Cubs lineup

Morel lit up the Mets on Sunday, going 2-for-4 with a home run. It was his first time going yard since June 11 and only his third multi-hit game in the month. Could it just be a coincidence? Sure. More data is needed to show whether the move down the order is what breaks him out of this slump. Still, the early returns couldn't have been more promising.

A side effect of moving Morel out of the cleanup spot having Seiya Suzuki step in. He went 2-for-4 as well. That's not a one-off either. When batting fourth, he's .345, going hitless in just two of eight games before Saturday.

Counsell's debut season with the Cubs hasn't gone smoothly. His bullpen management is a point of contention and his lineup decisions have been head-scratching at times. Mostly, fans are frustrated by his willingness to stick with a bad thing. The Morel move could be a lesson in the value of trying something different. If something is broken, actively try to fix it.