Key piece of the Kyle Tucker trade is done for the year with a season-ending injury

We knew from the start: the success of the 2025 Chicago Cubs largely depended on newcomer and three-time All-Star Kyle Tucker putting up big-time numbers in his first (and potentially only) seasoon with the team.

He's gotten off to a monster start, posting a 153 OPS+ to pace the team alongside teammate Pete Crow-Armstrong, leading the Cubs to a 28-19 record and a two-game advantage in the National League Central. His mere presence has completely transformed the offense, lengthening the lineup and elevating the play of those around him.

At the time of the deal - and as the regular season opened - a contingent of Cubs fans were immediately second-guessing the move, especially when top prospect Cam Smith cracked the Houston Astros' Opening Day roster. He's been a league-average bat (100 OPS+) but has failed to produce in the way many Houston faithful hoped for, really struggling against breaking balls at the big-league level.

Another component in that deal, Isaac Paredes, is off to a hot start - doing exactly what folks thought he'd do hitting in Houston, putting up a 130 OPS+ and 1.9 bWAR on the year. But it's the final piece, right-hander Hayden Wesneski, who finds himself in the news this week after the team announced he's undergoing Tommy John surgery and will miss the rest of the season.

Hayden Wesneski has always intrigued teams with his potential

Wesneski, who originally came to the Cubs in the 2022 Scott Effross trade with the New York Yankees, spent parts of three seasons in Chicago, working to a 3.93 ERA in 190 innings of work split between the rotation and bullpen, constantly battling his homer-prone tendencies. He's been more effective as a reliever in his career, but he had been starting for the Astros early this year.

Prior to being placed on the IL in early May, the right-hander made six starts, posting a 4.50 ERA and 1.094 WHIP He'd been pretty steady for manager Joe Espada, but will now turn his attention to recovery. Timelines vary widely on Tommy John recovery, but the general expectation is he'll miss the rest of the 2025 season, as well as much of the first half of 2026.

Just 27 years old, there's no reason to think there aren't plenty of miles ahead for Wesneski. Houston has a good deal of uncertainty on the pitching staff this year and beyond, and this latest loss will do their already depleted depth no favors.