Astros Kyle Tucker Trade Looks Even Better with Hayden Wesneski Back

The Houston Astros have a history of not being able to hold onto some of their biggest stars over the years. When it comes to handing out a massive contract to someone heading to free agency, the Astros and owner Jim Crane haven't been a fan.

Stars like Gerrit Cole, George Springer, Carlos Correa (when he initially left) and Alex Bregman were all never offered a big enough deal to stay in Houston. The Astros won the World Series in 2022 and it just didn't matter whether they kept some of those big names from 2019-20 as they would just find ways to win.

However, the Astros have kept superstars like Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez locked in for the future, but both were team friendly and didn't break the bank. Alvarez signed a six-year, $115 million extension in 2022 that looks like a steal at the moment. Altuve will be an Astro for life as he signed a five-year, $125 million in 2024.

The Astros aren't willing to go above and beyond in terms of contract money for their stars, and it has worked out for them to an extent. Star right fielder Kyle Tucker was up for an extension after the 2025 season, but the Astros decided to trade him in 2024 to the Chicago Cubs in a blockbuster deal.

Tucker was going to command a huge contract once he was a free agent, and the Astros knew up front they weren't going to match it. Houston decided to trade him up front and get value back. This wasn't a popular move at the beginning, given yet another home-grown superstar wasn't kept. However, the deal has continuously looked better over time.

Tucker Trade Looks Favorable for Houston

right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) looks towards the dugout after hitting a single during the third inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Monday night's win against the San Francisco Giants demonstrated that fully.

Tucker was traded to the Cubs and the Astros received infielder Isaac Paredes, right-hander Hayden Wesneski and top infield prospect Cam Smith. While Smith was ranked No. 8 in the Cubs farm system at the time, he immediately jumped to the No. 1 prospect for the Astros per MLB Pipeline.

Paredes was an All-Star in 2024 and became a great addition to the Astros at third base, where he was an All-Star again in 2025. Smith took off with the Astros and impressively made the Opening Day roster in 2025 in right field. The outfield transition was seamless given the kind of athlete he is and Smith had his moments in his rookie year, including being nominated for a Gold Glove. He has all the talent to be a star.

Wesneski made six starts in 2025 before undergoing Tommy John surgery last May. He's now returned to the rotation and has looked solid. All three of these acquisitions came together and delivered great performances in the series opener against the Giants.

Paredes has had another great season for the Astros with a .766 OPS, 15 home runs and 62 RBI so far. Smith has taken off lately and has given a boost to the offense. He has a 1.040 OPS in his last 15 games. Wesneski has been effective since his return and threw seven innings on just 83 pitches.

Meanwhile, Tucker played only one season with the Cubs before signing a four-year, $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers this past offseason. Tucker had a poor postseason in 2023 and 2024 with the Astros and it seemed like Houston got plenty of production from what it got back since.

Tucker is having one of the worst seasons of his career with the Dodgers in 2026 with a .727 OPS. Meanwhile, Smith's has a .698 OPS. Smith's 16 homers and 44 RBI are not too far behind Tucker's 11 homers and 54 RBI. It looks like the 23-year-old has star potential, while Wesneski can be a key rotation piece. Paredes is holding down third base well.

The Cubs gave up all that for one year of Tucker. The trade does look like a win for the Astros, even more so right now.

Add us as a preferred source on Google