This bold Hayden Wesneski prediction is straight nightmare fuel for Cubs fans

Apparently, a decent chunk of the Chicago Cubs' fanbase hasn't quite learned that spring training numbers don't mean a thing. Cam Smith's monster spring, paired with Kyle Tucker's struggles in Cactus League action, have fans in a panic - and if this new bold prediction from The Athletic (subscription required) comes to fruition, Jed Hoyer may be facing a complete mutiny from the Cubs' faithful.

Among Eno Sarris' 10 bold predictions heading into the 2025 MLB season, you'll find 'Hayden Wesneski is the Astros’ newest coaching win'. An often overlooked part of the Tucker trade, the right-hander was always an intriguing piece, but never translated his stuff to success. Now, Sarris believes Houston's pitching infrastructure could change all that.

The Astros are focusing on Wesneski throwing a wide mix of pitches (he's thrown six different offerings this spring) - giving him an arsenal that not only features a wide range of velocities, but also a ton of different horizontal/vertical movement, keeping hitters guessing.

Acquired from the Yankees in the Scott Effross trade at the 2022 deadline, Wesneski spent parts of the last three seasons with the big-league team in Chicago, bouncing between the bullpen and starting rotation under two different managers. His 3.93 ERA handily outpaces a 4.74 FIP in his 190 MLB innings, but anyone who's seen the flashes of him at his best believes he's hit his ceiling yet.

Injuries in the Houston starting rotation will give him a chance to prove himself as a starter to open the year. Given his past flexibility swinging between roles, the Astros will maintain a good deal of flexibility - but how he pitches this year could go a long way in determining Hoyer's legacy in Wrigleyville.

Cam Smith aside - and he's obviously a huge piece of this puzzle - if Isaac Paredes smacks 30+ homers and Wesneski finally puts it all together, the only chance the Cubs have of salvaging the trade is if they not only return to the postseason but make a decent run in October. Because all signs point to Tucker departing in free agency - leaving Houston with a trio of potentially valuable long-term assets and the Cubs with nothing but a glaring question: "Where do we go from here?"