Astros' push to force Yankees' overpay in Kyle Tucker trade talks was a perfect move

The Houston Astros refused to back off their ask of reigning American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil and infield prospect George Lombard Jr. in Kyle Tucker trade talks with the New York Yankees last week - and sticking to their guns seems to have paid off handsomely in the end.

Houston wound up pivoting to the Chicago Cubs, acquiring corner infielder Isaac Paredes ( a 2024 All-Star who hit 31 home runs the year prior in Tampa Bay), right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski and MLB Pipeline's No. 73 overall prospect Cam Smith in exchange for one year of Tucker's services.

Rather than putting all their eggs, more or less, in one basket with Gil, the Astros now have multiple ways this trade could turn into a win for the organization long-term. Wesneski, a Texas native, features plus stuff and has moved between the bullpen and starting rotation in three big league seasons with the Cubs. Given Houston's track record developing arms, there's plenty of reason to believe the 27-year-old could reach new heights with his hometown team.

There are few players whose swings are as tailor-made for the Crawford Boxes as Paredes. The slugging infielder has hit 50 home runs over the last two seasons: every single one of them was pulled to left or left-center. He can slot in at first or third for Houston and is under team control through 2027 via arbitration.

Astros earn big prize by using Yankees in Kyle Tucker trade talks with Cubs

The big prize, though, is Smith who re-tooled his swing after a rough start to his college career at Florida State, then establishing himself as one of the biggest bats in the 2024 MLB Draft as a sophomore. He rocketed up to Double-A this summer in his first taste of pro ball, slashing .313/.396/.609 across three levels of the minors.

There are questions about where he'll ultimately call home defensively, but there is no questioning the hit tool. Rather than take a lottery ticket in a comp pick had they held onto Tucker and just offered him a qualifying offer next fall, they got a player who could work his way into the big leagues quickly and has already found success in the minors.

Brown deserves a lot of credit for not blinking when Brian Cashman wouldn't meet his asking price. After all, Tucker is one of the more elite all-around players in the game today. That persistence could wind up making a huge difference for the Astros moving forward as they head into a new era.