NEWSLETTER
I keep telling you, this story is accelerating. It’s crazy what has happened the last day and a half. Doesn’t mean a deal WILL happen, but it’s got that vibe, you know? Like a train on the tracks.
The latest from Ken Rosenthal and Chandler Rome:
“Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki and corner infielder Isaac Paredes are two players the Houston Astros are targeting in a possible trade for right fielder Kyle Tucker, sources briefed on the discussions told The Athletic on Wednesday.
Talks are fluid, and the teams have exchanged a variety of names. Any Cubs package for Tucker, 27, likely would include prospects as well. Third baseman Cam Smith, Chicago’s first-round pick in 2024, is another player in whom the Astros are interested.”
This is very, very serious. When you see reports from these reporters – national and local – involving specific names, that means it really has a chance of happening. Especially when one team gets the bulk of the focus. The front of the article is about the Cubs and Astros’ talks, which squares with my earlier read of the situation of the Cubs as possible favorites. The Yankees are mentioned, too, but it feels more in passing. Obligatorily, I’ll say that other teams are still involved blah blah.
From the sound of things, this is not a Paredes plus Suzuki for Tucker situation, and instead is one or the other plus prospects. Paredes is the obvious fit, but only if Alex Bregman is going to walk – so this is very intertwined. Moreover, the Cubs would prefer to move Cody Bellinger rather than Suzuki, but if the Astros re-sign Bregman, then they might prefer Suzuki. Again, intertwined. That might be the most challenging part of actually completing this trade: each side of the deal has related moves they may have to/want to make in conjunction. That could wind up being where the biggest risk is for something falling through.
For now, this is moving too fast for me to freak about that mention of Cam Smith, who looked like an absolute stud last year (would Paredes plus Smith be too much for one year of Tucker? bah, can’t think about that right now).
Stay very tuned.
UPDATE: Marquee’s Andy Martinez confirms that the talks have happened between the Cubs and Astros, but it may not be breaking any time soon: “Sources confirmed the talks between the Astros and Cubs, although no deal is imminent or close.”
UPDATE 2: More confirmation that at least some sources are sharing similar things with reporters:
Those three names are mentioned in the Rosenthal/Rome report. That doesn’t mean Heyman has the exact same source, mind you – it could just be that, in fact, these are names really being discussed.
I wouldn’t read too much into that “and” by the way. The Athletic piece also used the word “and” when describing the discussions, but it read more to me like “these are two guys being discussed as possible parts of the deal,” rather than “these are the two guys being offered in the deal together.”
UPDATE 3: This is related to that intertwined stuff mentioned up above:
If Bregman were to happen today, it could be a sign that the Astros have let him know they won’t bump their offer … and it COULD, in turn, be a sign that they feel they are about to land Isaac Paredes to play third base.
UPDATE 4: More from Sahadev Sharma, which reiterates how real the talks are:
UPDATE 5: So Jon Heyman is sticking to this “Paredes AND Suzuki” thing:
I want Tucker as much as anyone, but sending ALL THREE of Paredes, Suzuki, and Smith/Shaw simply does not make sense. It’s actually kind of absurd (look back at the Juan Soto trade to the Yankees or the Mookie Betts trade to the Dodgers – they were MUCH less, and with all due respect to Tucker, he isn’t quite those two). Gotta believe it’s a Paredes OR Suzuki (plus prospects) situation, and there are wires being crossed. Unless the Cubs are trying to get substantially more from the Astros than Tucker, of course.
Or the Astros are trying to convince some other team to go absolutely bonkers on their offer, letting them think the Cubs are doing something crazy.
