The Cubs have spent the past year debating the Kyle Tucker trade through the names that were easiest to see. Cam Smith was the headliner in the package sent to Houston, and Isaac Paredes has added another layer to the argument with his success for the Astros. That has kept the conversation alive over whether Chicago gave up too much for what ended up being one season of Tucker.
But there was another piece in that deal that’s easy to forget: Hayden Wesneski.
Wesneski was once viewed as one of the better pitching prospects in the Cubs’ system after Jed Hoyer got him from Brian Cashman at the 2022 trade deadline. He never quite found his footing in Chicago, though. After a strong start - a 2.18 ERA over his first 33 innings in 2022 - he posted a 4.63 ERA in 2023 and a 3.89 ERA in 2024, mostly working as an up-and-down arm.
Now with Houston, Wesneski is starting to look more like the pitcher the Cubs once thought they had. He made six starts before the rest of his 2025 season was wiped out by Tommy John Surgery, and since returning he has shown real signs of settling in.
Through his first seven starts with the Astros this season, Wesneski owns a 3.18 ERA. The bigger difference has been how he’s getting there.
In Chicago, home runs were his biggest issue. This year with Houston, he has kept the ball in the bark, allowing only two home runs across nearly 40 innings pitched.
There’s no way to know whether the Cubs could have unlocked this version of Wesneski themselves. What is clear is that Chicago paid a heavy price to rent Tucker for one season. That was obvious then, and with the trade debate still going, the return is starting to make the Astros look like the clear winner.
In Other News...
Cubs Face One Offseason Decision That Could Reshape Their Rotation
The Cubs already have a handful of offseason decisions sitting in front of them, with mutual, club and player options spread across the roster for the 2027 season. In most cases, the outcome feels familiar enough: mutual options rarely get exercised, and the front office may choose to keep some players while moving on from others as it trims the roster around the edges and preserves flexibility for the winter ahead.
The bigger question is Clay Holmes, whose player option is expected to go unpicked, putting him on track to test free agency. For a Cubs rotation that could look different depending on how those other options resolve, that makes Holmes a name worth watching closely. If he reaches the market, Chicago could have a real chance to make him a priority, but the timing also leaves the club with one more important decision in a market that may already be shifting beneath it. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs May Already Know Which Productive Veterans Wont Be Back
As the Cubs keep one eye on the pennant race and another on what comes next, a few expiring contracts are already shaping the winter conversation. Matthew Boyd had provided useful innings before his late-season performance tailed off, while Carson Kelly gave the club a strong return behind the plate. Tyrone Taylor, meanwhile, has been productive in a limited role and has fit in well enough to merit a look beyond the box score.
The problem for Chicago is that usefulness does not always line up with the market. Kellys price may climb beyond what the Cubs want to commit, and Taylors role could be squeezed by the roster plans already taking shape, even after an impressive stretch. Boyds uneven finish adds another layer of uncertainty, leaving the front office with several veterans who have helped in different ways but may not all be back when the offseason decisions finally come due. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Seem Ready To Reverse A Javier Assad Decision
Javier Assad is back with the Cubs and eligible to be recalled from Triple-A Iowa ahead of the weekend series against the Marlins, a sign the club may be ready to revisit a pitching decision it made earlier in the year. Chicago still has not announced its starters for Saturday or Sunday, and Assads presence around the team puts him squarely in the mix if the Cubs decide they need another arm to bridge the stretch in front of them.
Jacob Webb and Tyler Ferguson are also part of the roster conversation as the Cubs sort through possible pitcher moves, though nothing has been made official. For a team trying to line up its rotation with a series in Miami, the timing matters, and Assads availability gives Chicago another option while it weighs how to reshape the staff for the weekend. [Read more 🡒]