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Jesse Rogers, ESPN Staff Writer
The Chicago Cubs acquired Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker in exchange for third baseman Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski and prospect Cam Smith, the teams announced on Friday.
Tucker, 27, has a career .870 OPS over seven seasons with the Astros. He’s entering his final year of team control — which means he’ll be a free agent after next season — and is likely to make around $18 million through the arbitration process.
He’ll become the Cubs starting right fielder with Seiya Suzuki relegated to designated hitter duty — at least for now. The team still employs INF/OF Cody Bellinger, but he’s likely to be moved in a separate trade, sources told ESPN.
Tucker played in only 78 games last season due to a shin injury — but will still be the Cubs’ best player. The team has been searching for star-quality production on offense, and they might have found it in the three-time All-Star, who finished fifth in AL MVP voting in 2023.
Paredes, 25, spent a half season with the Cubs after being acquired from the Rays in July. He’ll likely serve as a replacement for Alex Bregman at third base if he leaves Houston via free agency. Paredes is a dead pull hitter, useful for the short left field fences at Minute Maid Park. He hit 19 home runs last season and has a career .755 OPS over five big league seasons.
Wesneski, 27, has appeared in 68 career games for the Cubs, including 22 as a starter. He has a career 3.93 ERA pitching as a swingman over the past three seasons. He was acquired from the Yankees at the summer trade deadline in 2022.
Smith, 21, was the 14th overall pick out of Florida State in last year’s amateur draft. He made headlines during his short pro debut, hitting home runs in six straight games for Single-A Myrtle Beach in August. He played mostly third base in college.