Christopher Morel made an immediate impact for Tampa Bay in his return to Wrigley Field. Morel hit a three-run homer for the Rays in their series opener against the Chicago Cubs. The 26-year-old Morel was playing his first game against his first major league team. 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, Morel hit a towering drive into the bleachers in left-center. 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.