Christopher Morel has been one of the key aspects of a recent surge for the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs were ultimately set to sell at the trade deadline, but a winning streak helped get them back into contention.
Now, they are in the thick of the postseason chase.
On Wednesday, Morel hit a walk-off home run against the Cubs’ crosstown rivals, the Chicago White Sox.
The White Sox were leading 3-1 when Morel hit a game-winning three-run shot.
In doing so, Morel joined New York Mets star Pete Alonso in an elite category.
The two stars are the only two players this year to hit walk-off home runs with their teams trailing by multiple runs in the ninth inning or later.
Jesse Rogers of ESPN provided this interesting factoid on Twitter.
Per @ESPNStatsInfo: Christopher Morel joins Pete Alonso as the only players to hit a walkoff HR with their team trailing by multiple runs in the 9th inning or later this season.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) August 17, 2023
The Cubs have been an interesting team in recent weeks.
They were once thought to be a few years away from contention.
However, they currently lead the race for the third and final National League Wild Card spot and are just 2.5 games back of first place in the NL Central.
Morel helped change the narrative around the Cubs, and his walk-off home run last night helped them secure a series split against the White Sox and stay ahead in the Wild Card race.
The Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins also both won, making Wednesday’s walk-off win all the more important for the Cubs.
The Cubs own a record of 62-58 with just 42 games still left to play in the regular season.
NEXT: Cubs Receive Tough News On Marcus Stroman
