Kyle Tucker Could Help Houston Astros Out Now

Kyle Tucker has been an important part of the success, both in the regular season and postseason, for the Houston Astros. Yet Tucker continues to work hard toward returning after fouling a ball off his shin in June.

The healing process has been a long, arduous one for the Astros’ outfielder. For their part, the team has been using different players as fill-ins. Trey Cabbage and Joey Loperfido, before his trade to the Toronto Blue Jays, saw their playing time increase. But they have not been able to replace Tucker’s offensive numbers.

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Astros’ Lineup Needs Kyle Tucker and His Bat

So, where do things stand with Kyle Tucker and the Houston Astros? Manager Joe Espada offered an update about his player’s increased workload this week. Recently, Tucker has been jogging and getting out on the Minute Maid Park field.

“Tucker did a ton of stuff to that back home,” Espada said, according to Chron.com reporter Leah Vann. “I just got video and it looked pretty good. The next few days are important. I’m going to keep him away from this turf and get him on the outfield grass and look at him.”

On June 3, Tucker fouled a ball off of his shin. It turned into a shin contusion, which isn’t as easy to heal from as some people may think. It all depends on how deep the bruise is to a person’s leg. Measures like pain management have been used over the summer.

The sad part for Tucker and the team is that he was on an offensive tear when injured. In 60 games, Tucker hit 11 doubles and 19 home runs. Nearly all of his 262 plate appearances became must-see moments for Houston Astros fans.

Besides Cabbage and Loperfido, Mauricio Dubon and recent call-up Pedro Leon have been filling Tucker’s outfield spot. Again, they provide solid defensive play. On offense, though, they are not Tucker.

Offense Stays Strong With Yordan Alvarez

Entering Friday night’s series opener with the Boston Red Sox, the Astros are tied with the Seattle Mariners atop the American League West Division. It took a ninth-inning rally from Seattle on Thursday night to beat the Detroit Tigers. Both the Astros and Mariners have been jockeying for position atop the division this season.

Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, and Alex Bregman have done their best to keep the Astros’ offense cooking. Alvarez snapped out of a homerless slump against the Texas Rangers. He hit homers in wins on Tuesday and Wednesday at Globe Life Field. This weekend, Alvarez gets to flex his power stroke in the friendly confines of Fenway Park.

All eyes, though, keep looking back to Houston for updates on Tucker. Getting his bat back in the lineup is imperative for the Astros. Tucker has proven time and again to be an offensive juggernaut when on his game. He was on a fantastic pace to probably reach this year’s All-Star Game. Yet his injury derailed those plans.

Astros fans also are aware of Tucker’s contract situation. It’s something that team owner Jim Crane has to consider when reviewing his team’s players in the offseason. Tucker, though, is a solid asset and losing him to free agency would hurt. There’s still time for Tucker to return and help the Astros, yet again, reach postseason play. How much more treatment will his ailing shin need? That remains to be seen.

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Article originally written by Joe Rutland