NEWSLETTER
He did it. Jed Hoyer actually did it … a big, risky, exciting move for a bona fide superstar-caliber player. According to Jeff Passan, the Chicago Cubs have acquired Houston Astros outfielder and slugger Kyle Tucker via trade. This is huge, HUGE news. Kyle Tucker is a legitimate, middle-of-the-order bat and arguably the best hitter this team has had since the World Series core.
We are going to have SO much more on this soon – because suffice it to say, there are so many implications (both immediate and long term). For example … Where do the Cubs go from here? Surely they can’t stop now, especially because Kyle Tucker is under team control for just one season. They must push further in for 2025. And what about an extension, is that a possibility? It sounds unlikely, but everyone has their price (Tucker is a $300M type of guy, if you’re looking for a ballpark). Meanwhile, is that Cody Bellinger trade going to break any second? I’m guessing he will be a Yankee before the end of the day. And who is playing third base on Opening Day, is it Matt Shaw from the jump?
Oh, and then there’s also the matter of the significant return: In exchange for one season of Kyle Tucker, the Chicago Cubs have reportedly (not confirmed yet) traded (1) their starting third baseman, Isaac Paredes, who was under cheap team control through 2027, as well as (2) their 2024 first-rounder, Cam Smith, who has risen up the minor league system almost as rapidly as he has top-prospect rankings. Hayden Wesneski is also in the deal and isn’t without upside/value. But I am happy to hear that the Cubs were successfully able to stave off the Astros’ ask for Ben Brown.
Even still, this is a very steep price to pay for one year of Tucker, but it’s the sort of risk the Chicago Cubs should be taking.
Last season, Tucker slashed .289/.408/.585 (180 wRC+) with 23 HRs in just 78 games. He walks a bunch, he doesn’t strike out, he’s consistent, he has pop. He’s an ideal, fearsome hitter. Oh, and he’s a lefty, which pairs so very nicely alongside Seiya Suzuki in the middle of the Cubs order. They now have two legitimate bats in the middle of their lineup. It is time to GO.
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Oh, boy. I think this is it. As in, I think those Kyle Tucker trade rumors – which were already ticked up to 11 – just advanced one stage closer to completion. Per Bruce Levine: “Cubs circling on deal that would send Paredes and Cam Smith to Houston for Kyle Tucker. If completed, it would leave Yankees without Left-handed bat (enter Bellinger) to slot in for Juan Soto. So Cubs and Yanks both in on Tucker and also talking to each other.”
Kyle Tucker Making it to the Cubs?
If that didn’t strike you as confidently as it did me, let me remind you of a couple of things and inform you of a third:
(1) We have heard from two different reporters (both national and local) that this trade could be completed 2-3 days after the Winter Meetings (… which ended two days ago). So the timeline for a final deal is right on track.
(2) The rumored return for Kyle Tucker has pretty much always included Isaac Paredes (who’s a natural fit at that ballpark and would replace the exiting Alex Bregman), but has been a little murky thereafter. For example, are the Cubs seriously considering including Seiya Suzki (I extremely doubt it)? Would the Astros accept someone other than Matt Shaw (they better)? And, indeed, Cam Smith’s name has come up previously, though the Cubs had seemed reluctant.
Suffice it to say, Paredes + Smith strikes me as a steep (for the Cubs), but certainly fair (for the Astros) return for Kyle Tucker. So the fact that Levine specifically mentioned that as the deal makes me feel like the progress made was the following compromise: No, you can’t have Suzuki. But fine, we’ll include Smith. Or to put that even more plainly, if the Cubs are willing to do Paredes + Smith, I think that should be enough to get it done.
(3) Like just about everyone, I have heard some things that indicate this trade (and the Cody Bellinger one for that matter) has some positive momentum.
We’ll be on red alert all day today because it’s starting to feel as real as ever. Now, we just have to hope no one swoops in at the last second to spoil our Christmas, Grinch-style.
UPDATE: It’s a small update, but it’s from a different reporter, so I wanted to share:
Momentum. Keep going …
