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Astros’ Kyle Tucker trade piece set for season-ending Tommy John surgery

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Russell Steinberg | Last updated May 19, 2025 12:41 PM ET

Hayden Wesneski, the pitcher that the Houston Astros acquired from the Chicago Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade, will miss the rest of the 2025 season and undergo Tommy John surgery.

Wesneski has been on the injured list since May 9 with right elbow discomfort. Doctors diagnosed him with a torn UCL last week.

“I still don’t know how I feel about it, to be honest with you,” Wesneski said, via Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. “I’m kind of in denial a little bit. I think it will hit me pretty soon. There’s obviously issues, and we need to fix them.”

Wesneski started six games in 2025, going 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.094 WHIP. The Astros skipped his April 25 start due to the 27-year-old righty experiencing a decrease in velocity the prior time out. He returned May 6 and was ineffective in four innings against the Milwaukee Brewers.

“My arm just kept swelling up on me, and it turned out to be a little worse than I thought,” he said. “I thought I was going to be able to pitch through it, and when I can’t bend my elbow, I really can’t throw. That was the issue we ran into.”

“I felt fine in Milwaukee,” he added. “I felt better. The next day, I felt great. I was super pumped about it. I got on the airplane and landed in Houston, and it started swelling up. And on the off-day, it got worse. … I was hoping for something better.”

The upcoming surgery certainly ends Wesneski’s 2025 season and puts 2026 in serious doubt. While Tommy John recovery timelines can vary, it may not be realistic to expect to see him on a Major League mound until the second half of next year.

Isaac Paredes making the most of his first season with the Astros

Houston Astros third base Isaac Paredes (15) hits a three run home run during the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

In addition to Wesneski, the Astros also acquired Cam Smith and Isaac Paredes in the deal for Tucker. Paredes has largely been as advertised, hitting for an .806 OPS with a .259 average and seven home runs in 45 games.

His three-run home run in the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers on Sunday turned a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 win.

“This is a team that’s proven it can rally,” Paredes said, per McTaggert. “No matter what, we can’t lose our confidence. We know we’re able to come back and rally in whatever game and take those wins.”

It was Paredes’ first time this season as the leadoff hitter, and as manager Joe Espada explained, the move was to maximize his at bats.

“I told him today, ‘You’re leading off, not because of your speed, [but] because you’re going to come up at a certain point in a big spot,'” Espada said.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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