The Houston Astros are feeling the pressure of a tight division race. The Seattle Mariners moved into a tie for first place in the AL West with a September surge. And the Mariners kept the heat on Houston, winning their seventh-straight game Friday.
The Astros held onto a share of the division lead with an 11-3 win in the series opener against the Atlanta Braves. And Houston could receive reinforcements as injured third baseman Isaac Paredes nears a return to the team.
Paredes took live batting practice in West Palm Beach on Saturday, per the Houston Chronicle's Matt Kawahara. It’s a big step toward rejoining the Astros' lineup. Manager Joe Espada said the team now plans to increase Paredes’ live at-bats while working in ground ball and running drills.
Isaac Paredes nears Astros return
Paredes has been sidelined by a hamstring injury since July 19. The Astros anticipated losing the sixth-year veteran for the season after he was given a six- to seven-month recovery timeline. However, Paredes turned down surgery and chose to rehab the injury instead, with the hope of returning this season.
The two-time All-Star had been an important part of the Astros’ offense prior to landing on the 60-day IL. Paredes is hitting .259 with an .829 OPS, 19 home runs, 50 RBI, 51 runs scored, a 128 OPS+ and 2.5 bWAR in 94 games.
In the wake of Paredes’ injury, the Astros reunited with Carlos Correa through a deal with the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline. Correa took over third base duties in Paredes’ absence. And the Gold Glove-winning shortstop has played well for Houston.
Still, getting Paredes back in the lineup would be a major boon for the Astros as they make their final playoff push. Houston called up prospect Zach Cole from the minors to give the offense a boost. The move paid immediate dividends as Cole homered in his first MLB at-bat. He went 3-4 with four RBI and two runs scored in his debut, adding some much-needed firepower to the Astros’ lineup.
