When the Houston Astros traded Kyle Tucker last offseason, it felt like a half-measure. Beyond the fact that the Astros were trading the anchor of their starting lineup, it seemed that the team was ready to reset its roster with a younger core.
On the surface, it made sense; their core was getting older, and year from free agency, Tucker was a clear trade chip, considering the Astros likely weren't going to be his top bidder. The issue with the approach is that the Astros should have also traded Framber Valdez last winter.
In the immediate aftermath of the Tucker trade, there was speculation that Valdez was on the trade block.