Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IIDecember 13, 2024

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3. Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images
4. The Chicago Cubs have acquired three-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros in exchange for corner infielder Isaac Paredes, No. 7 Cubs prospect and third baseman Cam Smith and right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
5. Tucker, who turns 28 in January, has posted a per-162 game average of 35 home runs and 111 RBI over his past four seasons. He’s also registered an .888 OPS and 145 OPS+ during that time.
6. He’s been one of the greatest outfielders in the game, and now he makes his home in Chicago, which looks to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
7. There’s questions about the ripple effects of this move, namely what it potentially means for outfielder Cody Bellinger, who could be heading out of town, maybe to the New York Yankees.
8. And then there are the Astros, who lose a superstar in Tucker and are trending in the wrong direction after getting swept out of the playoffs in the American League Wild Card Series.
9. This is ultimately another monster move in a dramatic hot stove season to say the least. Here are some winners and losers from the trade.
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12. Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images
13. With Tucker now on the Cubs, one can guess that Cody Bellinger’s days in Chicago could be numbered.
14. There’s already plenty of speculation connecting Bellinger to the New York Yankees, a team his father Clay Bellinger played for from 1999-2001.
15. Jon Heyman of the New York Post and ESPN’s Jesse Rogers connected the two.

B/R Walk-Off @BRWalkoff

.<a href=”https://twitter.com/JonHeyman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@JonHeyman</a> talks Cody Bellinger and the Yankees <a href=”https://t.co/f8k04LO9gd”>pic.twitter.com/f8k04LO9gd</a>

MLB Network @MLBNetwork

“The Yankees are not done by a longshot. I do think [Cody] Bellinger is high on that list… we’ll see if that gets to the finish line.”<br><br>- <a href=”https://twitter.com/JesseRogersESPN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@JesseRogersESPN</a> on <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/MLBTonight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#MLBTonight</a> <a href=”https://t.co/akk6eCvbY6″>pic.twitter.com/akk6eCvbY6</a>

1. The Yankees have a dire need for an outfielder with Juan Soto leaving for the New York Mets. They also need corner infield help, and Bellinger could be a fit at first as well.
2. Bellinger’s left-handed power bat could take great advantage of the short porch in right field as well. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him crack 30-plus home runs in the Bronx.
3. He hasn’t hit over 30 since smacking 39 during his 2017 rookie season and adding 47 more during his 2019 NL MVP campaign, but some time in New York could rejuvenate that power.
4. Bellinger has two years and $52.5 million remaining on his contract, so this wouldn’t break the bank for the Yanks, who in theory have a lot of money they’d be willing to spend after seeing their $760 million offer to Juan Soto get rejected.
5. Ultimately, a Bellinger-Yankees move here would be a huge win. It also almost seems inevitable to getting done.
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8. David Berding/Getty Images
9. Sure, the Cubs are paying a price for a player who could very well be a one-year rental. Simply put, though, Tucker is a great ballplayer. Teams shouldn’t just let chances to acquire great ballplayers to go by the wayside.
10. Plus, the Cubs haven’t won a playoff series since 2017. They had the resources to make a move and try to put an end to that slump. Chicago has the talent in place to make a run. Even though the Cubs went just 83-79 last season, it’s not as if they were that far off from competing in the playoffs. Tucker can certainly get them there.

670 The Score @670TheScore

The vision for the Cubs in acquiring Kyle Tucker is pretty straightforward.<br><br>”It’s a one-year, go-for-the-division-and-the-playoffs trade right now by the Chicago Cubs,” Matt Spiegel says.<br><br>Listen to full reaction from <a href=”https://twitter.com/SpiegsAndHolmes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@SpiegsAndHolmes</a>: <a href=”https://t.co/02UqNiAivj”>https://t.co/02UqNiAivj</a> <a href=”https://t.co/t0Xq9Zk5xH”>pic.twitter.com/t0Xq9Zk5xH</a>

carl @barstoolcarl

Stop complaining that we only get one year of Kyle Tucker when a lot of you were in JUNIOR HIGH the last time the Cubs won a playoff game

Jeff Passan @JeffPassan

Kyle Tucker is among the most underappreciated players in baseball. In 78 games last year, he put up more than 4 WAR, hitting .289/.408/.585 with 23 HR and 11 SB. Since getting full-time at-bats in 2021, he’s been a consistent 5-win player. He is precisely what the Cubs needed.

Evan Altman @DEvanAltman

The Cubs’ outfield of Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Kyle Tucker with Seiya Suzuki as the DH is out-freaking-standing.

Matt Cozzi @matt_cozzi

“Go take a risk. Let’s be fun again. Let’s hang a banner again. Let’s play October baseball again.”<br><br>Clip below of <a href=”https://twitter.com/SamOlbur?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@SamOlbur</a> on possible Kyle Tucker trade and what it could mean for the Cubs. Watch the entire segment here: <a href=”https://t.co/nYxnNr2ZOu”>https://t.co/nYxnNr2ZOu</a> <a href=”https://t.co/AhkTZwI6MA”>pic.twitter.com/AhkTZwI6MA</a>

1. Credit ultimately goes to Chicago for making a huge improvement to the team’s roster and getting this done.
2. And as for Tucker, he’s in a great spot.

Cubs Zone @CubsZone

Kyle Tucker is beyond thrilled to be joining the Chicago Cubs: <br><br>”I’ve already talked to some of Tucker’s people and he is beyond thrilled to be joining what he said was an iconic franchise”, per <a href=”https://twitter.com/JesseRogersESPN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@JesseRogersESPN</a> on MLB Network.<br><br>(📸: <a href=”https://twitter.com/MLBONFOX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@MLBONFOX</a>) <a href=”https://t.co/dkcQqcOG9Q”>pic.twitter.com/dkcQqcOG9Q</a>

1. Not only is he reportedly happy to be a Cub, but he’s surrounded by talent that can help vault him to another excellent year. And that could push Tucker to a monster contract in free agency, whether that be with Chicago or someone else.
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4. Nic Antaya/Getty Images
5. Yes, the Astros are getting talented players back.
6. Paredes, who is entering his age-26 season, has managed a .776 OPS and 119 OPS+ over his past three seasons. His defensive versatility certainly makes him a valuable asset.
7. The 21-year-old Smith was a first-round 2024 draft pick who just posted a 1.004 OPS in 32 games over Single- and Double-A ball.
8. The 26-year-old Wesneski allowed only a .198 batting average in relief last year, and he also struck out 67 batters in 67.2 innings.
9. That all being said, losing Tucker stings. Obviously, the Astros would have preferred signing the impending free agent to a long-term deal and keeping him. That’s not happening, though.
10. One can’t help but wonder if this is the beginning of the end of the Astros’ perennial playoff and World Series contention days.
11. Tucker is gone. Alex Bregman could very well be gone in free agency (although adding Paredes and Smith certainly helps). Pitcher Framber Valdez’ name has been thrown around in trade rumors. Former superstar ace/future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander is now a free agent, and his best pitching days are behind him at age 42. Jose Altuve, another future Hall off Famer entering his age-35 season, just posted his lowest OPS (.790) over a full season since 2023.
12. Houston snuck into the playoffs as AL West champions at 88-73 before being swept two games to zero by the Detroit Tigers. At this point, the Astros’ first losing season since 2014 is on the table.