Cantu: Astros were right to trade Kyle Tucker to Cubs - Our Esquina

Astros fill voids with Isaac Paredes, Smith, Wesneski

HOUSTON – Considering that the Astros weren’t likely to afford Kyle Tucker when he hit free agency after next season, it made sense to unload him. Trading the three-time All-Star for a sizable return was the right move.

A deal now was better than losing Tucker in a year. From one H to another, Isaac Paredes found a new home in Houston.

The Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico native was traded to the Astros along with prized prospect third baseman Cam Smith and Houston native Hayden Wesneski for Tucker.

Chicago wooed the Astros by agreeing to part ways with Paredes. The All-Star third baseman showed a glimpse of his production in 2023 with 31 home runs and 98 RBIs. He followed that up with his first All-Star nod this year. 

The Astros will have Paredes through his arbitration years and through his prime years. Paredes has 72 career home runs and all of them have been to the pull side. Which makes Daikin Park a suitable place for the 25-year-old slugger.

“Truly, I’m really happy,” Paredes said. “I think that’s a stadium that I feel will favor me a lot. It’s a very beautiful stadium also. Above all, I think I’ll feel very good there with the community of many Mexican paisanos who go to that stadium.”

Houston also received Smith, the Cubs’ first-round pick in the 2024 draft. The Astros admired the power the young kid holds and see him as a cornerstone for their future. 

In his first season in the minor leagues, the Florida State alum got promoted twice. He has a combined batting average of .313 and seven home runs.

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Another key piece to the trade was Wesneski. The left-handed starting pitcher will receive every opportunity to earn a spot in the starting rotation. After a successful rookie campaign, the 27-year-old struggled to mimic his early success.

However as history has shown, the Astros have found ways to return pitchers back into form. 

Astros general manager Dana Brown liked the offer the Cubs sent because it helped eliminate some of the Astros’ needs. Also, because Paredes was part of the package.

“We were aggressive because we were trying to get more offense,” Brown said. “What stands out for us is (Paredes’) power, and he has a lot of pull power, which would play well here with the Crawford Boxes.”

The Astros filled voids. They needed a corner infielder, a starting pitcher, and to bolster their farm system. Houston accomplished that in one trade. While the departure of Tucker is certainly a blow, the Astros now have the space to add the missing pieces they need to return to the World Series.

Adding Isaac Paredes doesn’t guarantee that Astros are out of the Alex Bregman sweepstakes. As long as Paredes is in the lineup he doesn’t care where he plays.

Kyle Tucker earned $12 million in 2014. According to Sportac he was projected to earn around $17 million in 2025 through arbitration. With Juan Soto signing a 15-year $765 contract recently, it’s fair to say the market for Tucker in a year will surely be higher than what Houston is comfortable paying. 

Now the Astros can move forward with Paredes and Wesneski while wishing for Smith to develop.