Astros deal Tucker to Cubs for Paredes, Wesneski, Smith
Brian McTaggart
@brianmctaggartHOUSTON -- When the Astros lost star outfielder George Springer in free agency to the Blue Jays after the 2020 season, they had Kyle Tucker set to emerge as a star. When Houston lost star shortstop Carlos Correa to the Twins in free agency a year later, it had shortstop prospect Jeremy Pe?a waiting in the wings.
The Astros let Springer and Correa walk in free agency and continued to win at a high level -- Pe?a was the Most Valuable Player of the 2022 American League Championship Series and World Series as a rookie -- but with a farm system ranked near the bottom of the Major Leagues in terms of talent level and no replacement on the roster, Houston took a different approach with Tucker.
Tucker, a three-time All-Star right-fielder who¡¯s one of the top hitters in baseball, was traded to the Cubs on Friday afternoon. The Astros will receive infielder Isaac Paredes, right-hander Hayden Wesneski and third baseman Cam Smith -- who was ranked as the Cubs¡¯ No. 7 prospect by MLB Pipeline -- in return.
TRADE DETAILS
Astros get: IF Isaac Paredes, RHP Hayden Wesneski and 3B Cam Smith (Cubs No. 7 prospect).
Cubs get: RF Kyle Tucker.
The trade came as somewhat of a shock to some Astros players considering Tucker¡¯s status and impact on the Houston lineup. Tucker, 27, missed three months last season with a fractured shin and still hit 23 homers to go with 49 RBIs in 78 games, slashing .289/.408/.585 for a .993 OPS. He had his best season in ¡¯23, slashing .284/.369/.517 with 29 homers and 112 RBIs, falling one stolen base shy of a 30-30 season.
Paredes, a 2024 All-Star whom the Astros tried to acquire at the Trade Deadline last season, can be plugged into the Iineup at first base or third base, depending on what happens with free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman. The Astros love Wesneski¡¯s arm and think they can get more out of his arsenal in the same way they have with other pitchers they¡¯ve acquired in recent years, most recently Yusei Kikuchi.
The Astros will certainly need to look for another impact bat on the trade or free-agent market -- one who can play one of the corner-infield spots or right field, or both. Houston is still in the running to re-sign Bregman, but their initial offer of six years at about $156 million is probably not enough to return him to Houston.
Losing Tucker and Bregman from the Astros¡¯ lineup would leave the team without two of their top three position players from 2024 in terms of bWAR. Yordan Alvarez (5.4) led the club in bWAR, with Tucker (4.7) ranking second and Bregman and Pe?a (4.1) tied for third. It also makes Houston a much more right-handed-dominant lineup with Alvarez, Jon Singleton, Taylor Trammell and C¨¦sar Salazar as the only left-handed bats on the 40-man roster.
Paredes, 25, began last season with the Rays and was traded to the Cubs (instead of the Astros). A right-handed pull hitter who could take advantage of the Crawford Boxes at Daikin Park in 2025, Paredes hit a combined .238/.346/.393 with 19 homers and 80 RBIs in 153 games last season. He played exclusively third base last year but has games under his belt at first base. He¡¯s signed through 2027 and is first-time arbitration-eligible this year.
Wesneski, 27, is a Houston native who has gone 9-13 with a 3.93 ERA in 190 career innings with the Cubs in three seasons. He¡¯s bounced between the rotation and the bullpen, making 22 starts from among his 68 career appearances. He missed two months last season with a right forearm strain. Wesneski still has five years of team control.
Smith, who will be 22 on Opening Day, is a 6-foot-3 third baseman who was selected by the Cubs with the No. 14 overall pick in this year¡¯s MLB Draft out of Florida State. He performed well in his professional debut, slashing .313/.396/.609 in 32 games combined between Low-A Myrtle Beach, High-A South Bend and Double-A Tennessee with seven homers, five doubles and four triples.
Smith is ranked as the No. 73 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline, which means he¡¯s set to become the highest-ranked prospect in the Astros' system. Outfielder Jacob Melton (No. 89) is the only current Houston prospect in the Top 100.