Kyle Tucker's latest response vindicated Astros' controversial offseason decision

If you were to ask most Houston Astros fans how they feel about the Kyle Tucker trade, you'd probably receive a lot of negative responses. Rookie Cam Smith — the Astros' prized acquisition from the offseason trade with the Chicago Cubs — is struggling, while Tucker has been arguably baseball's best hitter at the outset of the 2025 season. Some fans would undoubtedly state that the Astros made a big mistake this offseason.

However, trades never quite that simple. It's not as if anyone really thought Tucker wasn't going to be good this season. And Smith struggles, while evident, are part of an incredibly small sample size. Houston simply made an astute calculation, knowing they couldn't keep Tucker long-term, and wanted to maximize their return.

Tucker was recently asked about Vladimir Guerrero's 14-year, $500 million extension witht the Toronto Blue Jays, and his comments revealed his future intentions. Not only did Tucker give a lukewarm assessment of Guerrero's decision to stay put in Toronto, but hinted that staying in Chicago, much less agreeing to an extension, may not be in the cards.

Kyle Tucker's response to Blue Jays-Vladimir Guerrero Jr. contract extension proves the Astros were right to trade him to the Cubs

Fans may take issue with how much some players get paid, but Tucker has earned the right to test the free agent market next winter. Most fans who found themselves in line for a mega-payday would all likely take a similar approach.

However, the Astros were equally within their right to trade Tucker rather than be left with nothing if he decided to depart during free agency next winter. Guerrero's extension with the Blue Jays likely means that Tucker will command a similar contract during the 2025-26 offseason, and there was no world in which Houston was going to pay him that kind of money.

Instead of being left with little more than a compensatory draft pick, the Astros trade with the Cubs enabled Houston to snag Isaac Paredes, Hayden Wesneski, and a potential star in Smith.

It is natural to feel seller's remorse in the immediate aftermath of these sort of trades, and the paltry results thus far haven't helped. However, keeping Tucker beyond the 2025 season was never going to happen, and his comments are indicative of that. The Astros made the best deal they could, despite the early pains the trade has brought to the Houston fanbase.

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