After a forgettable start to the season, the arrow was finally pointing up for the Houston Astros. That was until their superstar Kyle Tucker went down with an injury, which could wreck their playoff hopes.
Tucker may not be back for a while, via The Juice Box Journal's Michael Schwab.
“[General manager] Dana Brown said that there is no timetable on when Kyle Tucker will return but he is doing some slight on-field work,” Schwab reported. “He will definitely need some time in the minors on a rehab assignment. From the @SeanUnfiltered show this morning.”
The three-time All-Star has been out since June with a right shin contusion. Tucker was red-hot before the injury, hitting .266 with 19 homers, 40 RBI, and 10 stolen bases.
Currently, Houston sits just one game behind the Seattle Mariners in the AL West at 50-46, and 3.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox for the final Wild Card spot. Will Brown make moves at the trade deadline to compensate for Tucker's absence, or will he stand pat?
The Astros may wait for Kyle Tucker to heal rather than give up assets
While Tucker's injury is inconvenient, Houston's supporting cast has stepped up in his absence, which may keep Brown from making any headlining deadline moves, via The Athletic's Chandler Rome.
‘Jon Singleton stabilized first base following José Abreu’s release,” Rome wrote. “The emergence of both Joey Loperfido and Jake Meyers has helped cover up Chas McCormick’s underperformance. Singleton, Loperfido and Meyers all boast an OPS+ over 100, though Loperfido’s is in just 97 major-league plate appearances.”
However, hitting is a fickle endeavor, and it's risky to continue relying on unsung heroes without extensive track records.
“Counting on all of them to sustain their production is dangerous, so it could behoove second-year general manager Dana Brown to add a more established bat at the trade deadline,” Rome continued. “What could give him pause: Tucker still boasts the team’s highest slugging percentage, on-base percentage and OPS. Adding him back to an already productive offense could be all Houston needs.”
With Tucker still on the 10-day IL, the club expects him back within the next couple of months. The more worrisome aspect, though, is how he'll look when he gets back.
If the shin continues to nag at him, the 27-year-old may struggle to get back to his power-hitting ways. Lower-body strength and torque are essential to batting, and a painful shin could be a tricky issue to get around.
If Tucker can overcome this challenge, though, the Astros have a puncher's chance of making another October run. With Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, and Jordan Alvarez all still in the lineup, anything is possible.
Follow Us
Subscribe
