Astros right fielder Kyle Tucker was officially replaced on the American League All-Star roster this week, an obvious move with Tucker still sidelined by a right shin injury.
The Astros outfielder is hoping to be back before too long, per Matt Kawahara of The Houston Chronicle:
“Right fielder Kyle Tucker said he hopes to rejoin the Astros “sometime at the beginning of the second half,” but he remains limited in baseball activity by his injured right shin.
“I can’t do everything normally right now,” Tucker said Saturday morning. “But every day it’s getting a little better to where I can start moving around a little better.”
Tucker has not played since fouling a pitch off his shin June 3. On a 2-0 count against Cardinals starter Kyle Gibson, uncorked a huge swing on a cutter that drifted inside the plate. Unfortunately for the Astros' right fielder, the batted ball ricocheted off his shin, and he immediately fell to the ground in pain while he clutched onto the impacted area. He exited the game and has remained out since.
He resumed light on-field activities for the first time Thursday but has yet to hit or do defensive work on the field since his injury, which the Astros have diagnosed as a shin contusion.
Tucker was selected as an AL reserve via player voting, his third MLB All-Star selection. He compiled a .979 OPS with 19 home runs and 40 RBIs in 60 games prior to his injury.
With second baseman Jose Altuve deciding to skip the event to rest a sore left hand, the Astros have one representative — Yordan Alvarez, who was elected as the American League's starting designated hitter — for the All-Star Game on July 16 in Arlington.
Astros agree to reunion with former All-Star
The Astros have signed Aledmys Diaz to a minor league deal. Diaz played for the Astros from 2019 to 2022. While he's an infielder first, Diaz is a true utility player, also spending time at the outfield corners in his career.
The Cuban joined Houston prior to the 19′ campaign after a stint with the Toronto Blue Jays. He hit .255 in three seasons with the Astros, serving as a key piece off the bench on the way to a World Series championship in 2022.
Diaz will report initially to the Astros’ minor-league facility in West Palm Beach, Fla. Diaz played in just 12 games this season for the A’s due to injuries before Oakland released him last week.
Injuries limited Diaz’s time on the diamond, as he spent six stints on the IL with the Astros. He appeared in four postseasons with the Houston, including the 2022 World Series run.
Diaz signed a two-year, $14.5 million deal with the A’s before the 2023 season. He played in 109 games in 2023, compiling an OPS-plus 26% below MLB average. He dealt with groin and calf injuries this season and was just 3-for-29 for Oakland before earning his release.
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