Cam Smith provides the most predictable impact in painful Cubs-Astros series opener

Did you really think Chicago Cubs fans would go the whole weekend without revisiting the Kyle Tucker-Cam Smith trade?

Entering Friday’s series opener against the Houston Astros, the main storyline was the return of two World Series champions in Tucker and Ryan Pressly, both of whom were key contributors to Houston’s 2022 World Series championship. The storyline Cubs fans were more concerned with, however, was former top prospect Cam Smith making his first appearance against his former club.

Smith went 2-for-2 at the plate, reaching base an additional two times via the walk. He put an exclamation point on his night in the fourth inning, hitting a towering three-run blast as Cade Horton was roughed up for seven runs in four innings. 

Cam Smith’s home run sent Cubs social media into a frenzy, once again questioning if they sent the wrong prospect to Houston in the deal.

Smith is in the midst of a stellar rookie campaign, hitting six home runs with a .277 average while making a positional switch to right field. Smith’s value is hard to watch for Cubs fans, especially considering the well-documented struggles of Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw.

It’s worth noting that Shaw went 2-for-4 at the plate Friday night with two doubles, with the 23-year-old continuing to adjust his swing to generate more consistency. Despite his struggles at the plate, Shaw is at least generating some value with his defense, performing leaps and bounds over anyone else the Cubs have placed at the hot corner.

Smith hitting a home run against the Cubs in his first game against his former team, no doubt, reminds Cubs fans of Eloy Jimenez doing just the same thing in 2019. Jimenez, who was sent off in the infamous Jose Quintana trade, was in the midst of an incredible rookie season with 31 bombs on the campaign, but has failed to live up to it in the years since.

This scenario is a bit different. Giving up Jimenez was seen as an overpay at the time, and Quintana didn’t deliver in the role Cubs fans hoped for. Tucker, on the other hand, has delivered every ounce of value the Cubs saw when they traded for him, and Cubs fans would make that trade again 10 times out of 10.

Smith’s home run holds extra emotional value considering the circumstances, but at the end of the day, there’s no telling if Smith would’ve had the same success if the Cubs put him at third to start the season instead of Shaw. Assuming the Cubs can extend Tucker, the trade will go down as a win-win for both sides.