Astros: Tyler White is showing that he belongs amidst injuries

Tyler White has stepped up to a larger role for the Astros while stars are on the DL.

The Astros are on a four-game losing streak to their division foe, the Seattle Mariners. While it’s easy to fall into a pit of misery and despair, let’s take a look at one player making a difference. With Jose Altuve, George Springer, Brian McCann, and Jake Marisnick are all on the DL. Carlos Correa just returned to the lineup on Friday. This has opened up opportunities for other players.

One of those players has been Tyler White, who was called up back in June. On last week’s Talking Stros, I predicted that Marwin Gonzalez would step up amidst the injuries. He has, but he wasn’t this week’s top player. White has played well with the extra playing time and looks to be showing the promise that he can offer. With Evan Gattis in his last year of team control, White could be auditioning for the DH role next year.

Mr. Clutch?

This week, he batted .285 with two homers and six RBI via ESPN. He added a double and triple, but it’s more than just his stats. While the rest of the lineup struggled, only batting .218 versus the Mariners, White has stepped up in big situations. Gonzalez was the big hero in Monday’s road win over the Giants after hitting a three-run homer in the ninth inning off their closer.

White did something similar on Tuesday, hitting a two-run homer in the eighth inning to win the game. Don’t forget about his triple in the same game. In Thursday’s game, White tried to lead a comeback, hitting a ninth-inning homer off Edwin Diaz, but the Astros lost 8-6. After Justin Verlander allowed six runs in only two innings pitched, it was too much for the team to make up.

In a week when the Astros had a 2-4 record, it could have been much worse with players like White. With his production, he has raised his batting average up to .274 with an OPS of .376. He has crushed five homers and driven in 11 runs in only 76 at-bats. White could have played himself into consideration for the playoff roster. There is still a long way to go.