COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — There are just a few shopping days remaining before the July 31 trade deadline, with contenders trying to decide which prospects they’re comfortable with moving, and sellers trying to be as greedy as possible.
While both sides seek the perfect compromise, they need to look no further than the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros for the ideal trade.
These two teams pulled off the perfect trade in December, and seven months later, would each do it again in a heartbeat.
The Astros decided they weren’t going to be able to meet All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker’s price tag to keep him from becoming a free agent after this season, shopped him during the winter to make sure they could receive a healthy return before he walked way. They found the ideal dance partner with the Cubs, who believed Tucker would be the missing piece to lead them back into the postseason.
The Astros, who won the AL West last year while Tucker missed half the season with a fractured shin, weren’t going to simply unload Tucker for prospects. They still planned to contend in the AL West. Astros GM Dana Brown wanted third baseman Isaac Paredes, who had fallen out of favor in Chicago, but whose pull power would be perfect for the Crawford Boxes in left field. They wanted a top prospect to go with him, and identified the 6-foot-3, 224-pound third baseman Cam Smith, the 14th pick in the 2024 draft. And they wanted a pitcher thrown in the deal too, Hayden Wesneski.
