Cubs Could Wind Up Looking Incredibly Foolish for Offseason Blockbuster Trade

The Chicago Cubs may not have realized what they were trading away when they made the move of the offseason.

Mar 18, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, JPN; Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the Tokyo Series at Tokyo Dome. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs are just two days away from their second Opening Day after things did not go well in Japan against the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Though the Cubs lost both games of the Tokyo series in largely dominating fashion, they have a chance for a fresh start on Thursday with a domestic Opening Day out West against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Under a close microscope when Chicago takes the field this week — and really for the entire season — will be the team's most significant acquisition from this offseason in slugging outfielder Kyle Tucker.

With the Cubs having control of Tucker for just this season before he is set to hit free agency next winter, what they do this season — especially if they don't re-sign him — is going to be absolutely critical.

The trade will be under further scrutiny if the central piece of it, now Houston Astros top prospect Cam Smith, pans out in the way it looked like he could. In what was an unbelievably talent rich Chicago farm system, Smith has proven this spring he may very well have been the best of the bunch.

Slashing .342/.419/.711 with four home runs and 11 RBI in just 15 games, Smith is on the cusp of making the Astros Opening Day roster despite only having played 32 minor league games.

Not to mention the fact Isaac Paredes could be due for a massive comeback season as a serial puller who now plays in a ball park where allowing home runs to left field is its speciality.

While Cubs fans could live with a nice season from Paredes — especially if top prospect Matt Shaw pans out this season at the hot corner — the idea of Smith playing a major role as a 22-year-old for one of the most successful franchises in the sport over the last decade is not something fans could live with.

Even if Smith is an instant star however, it's all worth it if one of two things can happen — either Chicago re-signs Tucker, or they win big this year, ideally both.

If things do go the other way and the Cubs are set to lose Tucker after another disappointing and underachieving season though, it will not just be devastating to the fanbase.

It would make ownership and management look absolutely foolish and likely spell the end of the Jed Hoyer era in the Windy City.

Hoyer may not have realized it when he was making the deal, but with his contract set to expire after this season, Chicago made a trade that is going to define the entire tenure of their president of baseball operations.

The pressure is on to win, win now, and be prepared to spend big.