COOPERSTOWN, NY – 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 and 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 American League 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 general manager 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 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, Hayden Wesneski.
“I remember digging into the Cubs roster with Dana,’ Astros manager Joe Espada said, “and Cam was one of the first names that popped up. I’m looking at the video and I’m like, ‘This dude is the real deal.’ He hadn’t played a ton in the minor leagues, but every clip you saw, you saw the athleticism.
“Then, you start making call, and you about the makeup of the kid. All of a sudden, you’re getting real excited about him.’
A deal was born. The Cubs believed they pulled off a coup and would worry about Tucker’s free agency later. The Astros had a third baseman to replace Alex Bregman, who was a free agent, and one of the premier but unproven prospects in the game in Smith.
Debates raged who got the best of the trade, with questions being asked whether the Astros didn’t get enough in return, or the Cubs gave up too much.
Well, nearly eight months later, and the deal has worked out perfectly for both sides.
The Cubs are sitting tied with the Brewers for the best record (61-43) in the National League with Tucker performing just as they envisioned, hitting .274 with 18 homers and 58 RBIs. And the Astros have the best record (60-45) in the AL West, with Paredes hitting 19 home runs with 50 RBIs and playing exceptional defense until he went on the injured list when he pulled his hamstring last week.
Yet, the biggest surprise of all is Smith, 22.
He not only made the opening day roster as the starting right fielder, despite just 32 games in the minors and having never played the position in his life, but is a rookie of the year candidate. He’s hitting .260 with seven homers, 17 doubles, 43 RBIs and a .718 OPS, to go along with his defense that ranks third in outs above average among all right fielders.
“I said from day one this will be a good trade for both sides,’ Brown told USA TODAY Sports. “We knew exactly what we were giving up, one of the top players in Major League Baseball, so we knew we had to get a pretty decent return back.
“We wanted to compete in the present and compete in the future. This trade really allowed us to that. Essentially, we got two everyday players, a starting pitcher, and 14 years of control for one year of control of Tucker. We thought it was a good deal all of the way around.’
It’s the deal that should be the exemplary role model for all trades this week where everyone comes out happy and no one having a single regret.
Now, if the Cubs can’t re-sign Tucker and aren’t playing deep into October, perhaps the sentiments will shift, but for the Astros, they not only are returning to the playoffs without Tucker, but they have a bona fide star for the future.
“He’s going to be a perennial All-Star,’ Houston’s Jose Altuve says. “It’s amazing what he’s doing. He’s 22, he barely spent any time in the minor leagues, and it’s as if he’s been in the league for 10 years.
“He wants to be great, too. I’m telling you, this guy is going to be a star for a long, long time.’
Says Gold Glove first baseman Christian Walker: “He’s incredible. It’s crazy to think how young he is and what he’s doing with hardly any experience. Once he gets a little time, he’s going to be a .300 hitter with 30-plus homers every year.
“This guy is going to be a star for a long, long time.’
Just 13 months ago Smith was in the College World Series with Florida State, and now he’s trying to help lead the Astros to their fifth World Series appearance since 2017. Despite zero experience in right field, he’s already become one of the top defenders in the game at the position.
“The crazy thing is that we asked him to play a new position at the highest level,’ Brown says, “and to do it on a good club. It’s not like we’re a rebuilding club. He’s already a plus defender. He’s still going through his growing pains, but he’s got a really chance to be a really good player.
“He’s got a special makeup. He’s very likable, and very competitive at the same time, which is hard to find.’
Says Espada: “It’s amazing how he’s adapted to this league. I think we were hoping he could maybe help us at some point during the season when we got him. No one thought he’d make our team out of spring training, but was never overwhelmed. All of the attention he was getting from the Kyle Tucker trade never bothered him. He handled the whole thing so well.
“He was looking really good at third base, but we had an opening in right field. We wanted to see how he looked there, and in three weeks he picked it up and showed that he could play the position. He made the adjustment quickly, throwing to the right base, reading swings, all of the things to make himself a complete player.’
Smith took the job, won a spot on the opening day roster, and has ran with it.
“It’s like I’m living out my dream every single day,’ Smith tells USA TODAY Sports. “I mean, I was living out my dream at Florida State, too, and the next step obviously was the major league level.’
Still, but this quickly?
Learning a position he had never played in his entire life, playing shortstop in high school and third base in college? Hitting major league pitching when he had only 134 plate appearances in the minors?
Are you kidding?
“It’s just so impressive,’ Astros hitting coach Troy Snitker says. “Here’s a young kid who has never seen this good of pitching consistently, and he’s holding his own without being overmatched. You just don’t see that.’
Smith still has trouble believing it himself, almost awestruck when he met Marcus Semien of the Texas Rangers, Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets and Lawrence Butler of the Athletics. He had goosebumps just being on the same field as Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton, even though he didn’t meet him.
Oh, and don’t even get him started on the sheer thrill of facing Shohei Ohtani at the plate, with a strikeout never feeling better.
“I think what helped me so much is learning from these guys, my own teammates,’ Smith says. “They made me believe I could do this. It would have been pretty tough to do it on my own. Just having the comfort of talking to veteran guys, asking them questions, and having them let me know it’s going to be all right.
“They told me, ‘Hey, you’re here for a reason.”’
Smith, after getting off to a slow start, even solicited the advice of Hall of Fame first baseman Fred McGriff over lunch in Tampa, Florida, in May, with McGriff stressing to him the importance of being aggressive at the plate. He has hit .277 with four homers, 31 RBIs and a .755 OPS since early May.
While it would have been easy for Smith to melt down while trying to live up to the void left by Tucker, Smith never blinked. Instead of it being a burden, he viewed it as an opportunity.
Come on, someone had to replace Tucker in right field, why not the guy who was in the same trade?
“I think it’s pretty cool, really,’ Smith says. “I talk about it all of the time.’
Smith smiles easily, showing the confidence of a 10-year veteran, not a rookie. Sure, he was given a golden opportunity, but he was the one who took advantage of it. He’s the one who showed up first every day to spring training, arriving to the gym before 6 a.m., often the last to leave the complex. He was the one who took fly balls in the hot sun before workouts each day with Astros outfield coach Dave Clark. He was the one who got into the cage for extra hitting before the veterans with Snitker. He was the one in the weight room late in the afternoon when others were on the golf course.
“He’s way ahead of his time,’ Walker says. “His maturity, the skill set, the talent, the raw ability; it’s all right there. He’s a freak athlete, but his ability to ask some good questions, and to think his way through a situation, has been impressive. He knows when to listen. He knows when to ask a question.
“There’s a lot of young guys that just rely on their skill set, but right away, he embraced the work ethic. You see him taking notes on guys, studying scouting reports, and doing all of those things behind the scenes. There’s a time and place to just let it fly, and trust your ability, but his stance was calculated, and tactical, and playing chess right from the get-go. And when he pairs that up with his skill set, and how smart he is, it’s obvious that he’s trying to play for a long, long time.
“He’s not just trying to have some instant success.’
The Astros players still talk about his 22nd birthday in spring training when Espada asked Smith to address his teammates. He wasn’t nervous one bit. He spoke confidently, eloquently, as if he had spent his life as a public speaker.
“I think that’s when we all started to fall in love with him,’ Espada said. “We have a lot of veterans in this clubhouse, World Series champions, All-Stars, so it can be intimidating for a young guy. Not him. We knew we had something special.’
The entire Astros team has fallen in love with Smith and his work ethic. He’s an integral part of their success, and who knows, one day could be the face of the team.
“He’s a guy I look up to, he’s an inspiration,’ says Astros second baseman Brice Matthews, who made his major league debut in July. “He’s such a great player. He’s so calm every moment of the game. Just seeing how he’s dealing with everything, I’ve been leaning on him a lot just to see how his transition was through all of this. It helped me slow things down a little bit.
“It’s super fun watching him go out there and play great defense, and then come back and just be a great hitter all of the time. Really, it’s no surprise that he’s as good a player as he is, seeing the work that he puts in every day, being the first guy in the cage, and being super diligent in his preparation. It helps when you’re an uber athlete like he is, it’s like he can do anything. He runs like a gazelle out there.
“He’s going to be a great player in this game for a long time.’
Smith hears the praise from his teammates and coaches, shrugs his broad shoulders, and says there’s plenty of work to be done.
The Astros have a four-game lead in the AL West, but also have 17 players on the injured list. They need Smith more than ever. It’s already been a long season for the rookie, who never had played more than 66 games in a collegiate season, and the team has reminded him to ease on his workout routine since they plan on playing deep into October.
“It’s all I know, is hard work,’ Smith says. “I just have a burning desire to show up and prepare. This is a winning ball club. We’re competing for first place. And I’m going to do everything I can to help get us into the playoffs.
“It’s an awesome feeling to be part of this.’
Around the basepaths
– The Seattle Mariners, even after acquiring first baseman Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks, are aggressively pursuing Naylor’s former teammate, All-Star third baseman Eugenio Suárez.
The Yankees had extensive talks with the D-backs for Suárez but thought the price tag was too high when they pivoted and traded for Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon, who is superior defensively.
– The Diamondbacks never engaged in contract extension talks this season with Suárez.
– The Chicago White Sox want third baseman Mark Vientos from the New York Mets in any deal for Luis Robert Jr., who has a .983 OPS in 11 July games.
– Trade interest in Miami Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara has soared since his last start with teams now convinced he will be moved by the July 31 deadline.
– The Cleveland Guardians have no interest in trading reliever Cade Smith and would have to be overwhelmed by an offer to move closer Emmanuel Clase.
– Teams believe that the best three relievers traded at the deadline will be Jhoan Duran of the Minnesota Twins, David Bednar of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Ryan Helsley of the St. Louis Cardinals.
– The Pirates continue to listen to offers for everyone on the team but Paul Skenes and Oneil Cruz and are still expected to move starter Mitch Keller.
– The Philadelphia Phillies, after signing free agent David Robertson to a $6 million contract, want to add one more high-leverage reliever by the deadline.
– The Boston Red Sox have no plans to trade outfielder Jarren Duran at the deadline, rejecting the San Diego Padres’ offers, and are more likely to move him this winter.
– The Padres have been quietly shopping starter Dylan Cease for about a month for controllable players who can help them now – and also in the future.
– The New York Yankees are open to trading prized outfield prospect Spencer Jones, rival GMs say.
– Now that the Rockies have traded McMahon, it opens the door for Rockies third-base prospect Kyle Karros, the son of former Dodgers first baseman Eric Karros, to make his MLB debut.
– The Houston Astros would like to find a third baseman while Isaac Paredes recovers from his hamstring tear but have no interest in reigniting talks with the St. Louis Cardinals for third baseman Nolan Arenado. They had agreed to a trade during the winter, and the Astros had permission to speak to Arenado, but they couldn’t convince him they were still going to contend this year.
“We tried to convince him that we’re not rebuilding, that the window is always open with our owner,’ GM Dana Brown said. “We planned to compete in 2025 and beyond. He misunderstood the plan.’
– Teams that have been heavily scouting the Diamondbacks view Merrill Kelly as their best available pitcher ahead of Zac Gallen. Kelly, 36, has a career 2.25 ERA in four postseason starts. Each are free agents after the season, with the Cubs expressing interest as they scour the market for a starter.
– Atlanta DH Marcell Ozuna, who has 10-and-5 rights and can veto any trade, is now expected to approve any deal if the team guarantees him everyday playing time. He recently lost his starting job with Atlanta.
– The Yankees now have about $66 million invested in former Rockies third basemen with McMahon and recently released D.J. LeMahieu. McMahon is owed $16 million in 2026 and 2027.
– Even with Atlanta All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies’ struggles this year, Atlanta plans to pick up his $7 million option this winter and will at least listen to trade offers for him. Albies also has a $7 million club option in 2027.
– The biggest surprise at the trade deadline would be if the Dodgers don’t come up with another closer. They have checked in with virtually every team for bullpen help.
They also are looking to upgrade their outfield with Michael Conforto’s season-long struggles and have expressed interest in Minnesota Twins outfielder Harrison Bader and Cardinals utility man Brendan Donovan.
– There is talk among MLB officials of moving the World Baseball Classic to the All-Star break.
– The San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks will play a series in Mexico City next April.
– Ichiro Suzuki says he will give his Hall of Fame speech in English at Sunday’s induction ceremony.
– Tigers starter Jack Flaherty’s two-year, $35 million contract turned into $45 million when he made his 15th start, triggering an escalator clause. He is now guaranteed $20 million next year but has an opt-out.
– The Nationals say that their prized young core of James Wood, C.J. Abrams, MacKenzie Gore and Dylan Crews is staying put.
– The Cubs desperately want another starter at the deadline, targeting Mitch Keller of the Pirates, and would include outfield prospect Owen Caissie to make it work.
–The Milwaukee Brewers will start listening to offers for starter Nestor Cortes, who completed his last rehab start.
– The Texas Rangers still plan to be aggressive at the deadline, believing that if they can just get into the playoffs, they like their chances as much as anyone with their fabulous rotation led by Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi.
– The Diamondbacks had no intention of trading Josh Naylor so quickly, but the Mariners’ offer overwhelmed them, and they quickly moved, acquiring pitching prospects Brandyn Garcia and Ashton Izzi.
– The Kansas City Royals are showing little interest in trading starter Seth Lugo and would love to sign him to an extension.
– Is there a bigger surprise than the Miami Marlins of late? They have a 24-12 record since June 11, with only the Milwaukee Brewers having a better record in this stretch.
– There were nine catcher’s interference calls in 2002.
There were 56 catcher’s interference calls as of midweek, after a record 100 last season.
– Recent history shows that just getting into the postseason as a wild-card team does not provide nearly the same odds of winning the World Series as a division winner.
Since 2018 (excluding the 2020 shortened COVID-19 season), 13 of the 15 AL wild-card teams were eliminated in the AL division series round. One team lost in the AL championship series round. The other lost in the World Series.
In the NL, eight of the 15 wild-card teams were eliminated in the NLDS, four teams lost in the NLCS, two teams lost in the World Series, and one team (the Washington Nationals) won the World Series.
– Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz, who had played only 66 games, has pulled ahead of teammate Jacob Wilson in the AL Rookie of the Year race with his four-homer game, going 6-for-6. He is the only player in history to produce at least six hits, six runs and eight RBIs in a single game and tied Shawn Green’s record with 19 total bases.
“It’s arguably the best game I’ve ever watched from a single player,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay told reporters. “And I say that because I watched Barry Bonds and the season he had [73 homers]. And what Barry did was hands-down one of the greatest seasons you can have.
“This kid continues to just have jaw-dropping moments. And to witness that was pretty special for all of us.’
Kurtz hit .305 with a 1.060 OPS and had 43 extra-base hits in his first 66 games, a feat only accomplished by Joe DiMaggio.
– Remember when the Padres were a season-high 12 games over .500 on May 14. Well, they since are 29-34 and barely clinging to a wild-card berth.
– Hall of Fame players in attendance in Cooperstown this weekend offer their best wishes to Ryne Sandberg, battling prostate cancer.
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