Earlier this offseason, the Houston Astros introduced they had been altering the title of their stadium. With Friday’s commerce with the Chicago Cubs, the staff can also be asserting that it’s going to change its roster as nicely.
In keeping with a number of reviews, the Astros are sending slugging outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Cubs in change for infielder Isaac Paredes, right-hander Hayden Wesneski and infield prospect Cam Smith, the 14th total decide within the 2024 MLB draft.
Tucker has another yr of staff management remaining. Which means the Cubs may have the 27-year-old by way of 2025, then hope to discover a strategy to preserve a participant who hit 23 dwelling runs in an injury-interrupted 78 video games final season.
The transfer might nicely begin a domino impact for each the Cubs and Astros. Might Cody Bellinger be on his manner out of the Windy Metropolis with Tucker now within the lineup? Bellinger has been linked to the Yankees usually as they search for a substitute for Juan Soto’s bat within the Bronx.
On the Houston aspect, realizing Paredes can play third base, might this be one other step towards the departure of present third baseman Alex Bregman? Once more, Bregman has been linked to the Yankees (a wierd set of circumstances contemplating Bregman has apologized for his position in final decade’s sign-stealing scandal that was part of the Astros downing the Yankees within the postseason), however has additionally been linked to a possible commerce with the Philadelphia Phillies as nicely.
No matter occurs from right here, it is clear that the defending American League West champions aren’t standing pat of their quest to get again to the postseason. Moreover, the Astros are buying items to assist them sooner or later as Wesneski is not a free agent till after the 2029 marketing campaign and Paredes nonetheless has three extra years of staff management to come back.
It is clear that Houston’s lineup will look completely different in 2025 than in years previous. Simply how completely different, nevertheless, stays to be seen, because the Tucker deal might have triggered a series response for the Astros and different groups in what has already been a really busy December round Main League Baseball.
