After being quiet at the start of the offseason, the Chicago Cubs made a massive move on Friday by trading for Houston Astros’ All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker.
The Cubs will receive Tucker in exchange for All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes, right-hand pitcher Hayden Wesneski, and 3B prospect Cam Smith. The latter is ranked at No. 74 of the Top 100 prospects in baseball by the MLB Pipeline.
Tucker was limited to only 78 games in 2024 but still managed to get his third All-Star nod. He finished the campaign with a .289 batting average, 23 home runs, 49 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases.
Despite Tucker’s production and All-Star quality, the Astros decided to shop him to the highest bidder this offseason. He is entering the final year of his contract and could have walked for nothing in 2025. Instead of allowing that, the team received a couple of reliable players and a prospect with tantalizing potential.
The Cubs, on the other hand, needed some star power on their roster after missing out on the playoffs for the fourth start year. Tucker meets the criteria, instantly becoming the team’s best player and providing a much-needed boost on the offense.
“We’re excited that we were able to get it across the finish line,” Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins said of Tucker in a press release. “We’re thrilled. He’s been an offensive machine over the last several years, and we’re excited to be able to insert that into our lineup. That’s a bat that fits into any lineup in the league.”
Kyle Tucker spent his entire MLB career with the Astros, receiving his majors debut in 2018. He was a World Series champion with the franchise in 2022 and has three All-MLB Second Team nods. Tucker’s career stats include a .274 batting average, 125 homers, 417 RBIs, and 94 stolen bases.
