Joe Espada provides optimism that Kyle Tucker could finally return to save Astros season

The Houston Astros offense has been suffering of late. Though the Astros rank just outside the top-10 in OPS on the season, over the past month, Houston's .670 OPS has them ranked 26th in the league and barely ahead of teams like the Los Angeles Angels and Chicago White Sox.

While the Astros did nothing to upgrade the lineup at the trade deadline, Houston's recent promotion of Zach Dezenzo could provide a spark to Joe Espada's lineup. Moreover, Espada gave a positive injury update on Kyle Tucker.

The Astros manager said he recently received video of Tucker doing a ton of stuff back home. Espada called the next few days of Tucker's rehab important and mentioned that the Astros' slugger would be staying away from the artificial turf for the time being. Even more recently, Espada revealed that Tucker is able to jog, but not sprint.

Joe Espada provides optimism that Kyle Tucker could finally return to save Astros season

So if you piece together Espada's comments with those of Astros' GM Dana Brown, what do you get? Confused is probably the answer, right? Both Espada and Brown seem to be conveying the idea that Tucker could return this month, but neither one wants to put an exact date on it.

The Astros need Tucker back in the worst way. While the 'Stros are right in the thick of chase for the AL West Division crown alongside the Seattle Mariners, Houston's margin for error is very small. Despite having a 20-point edge in run differential, the Astros still trail in Mariners. And while not completely out of the AL Wild Card race, that safety net isn't exactly there like it was in 2023.

The hope, of course, is that Tucker can put his injury in the rearview mirror rather quickly. With fewer than 50 games left and an impending rehab assignment, Tucker's time to make an impact is dwindling.

This latest update offers a little bit of light to what's been a rather dark situation for the Houston faithful since June, but the Astros fanbase will feel a lot better once they see Tucker back on the field.

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