The Astros have reinstated outfielder Kyle Tucker from the 60-day injured checklist, per a group announcement. Infielder Zach Dezenzo has been optioned to Triple-A in an effort to open an energetic roster spot. Left-hander Parker Mushinski has been designated for project to create room on the 40-man. Chandler Rome of The Athletic was amongst these to relay.
Tucker received out to an excellent begin this season, hitting 19 dwelling runs in 60 video games whereas strolling greater than he struck out. He slashed .266/.395/.584 for a wRC+ of 175 regardless of a subpar .245 batting common on balls in play. On June 3, that wRC+ was third within the majors behind Aaron Choose and Juan Soto regardless of some poor remedy from the baseball gods.
Nevertheless it was on that June 3 date that Tucker started a wierd saga. He fouled a ball of his shin and landed on the 10-day injured checklist. The membership continued to described his damage as a “deep bruise of the bone” or a “shin contusion,” all whereas seeming to count on him to make a fast return. His absence turned to weeks after which months as followers continued to surprise how a easy bruise may result in such an prolonged absence.
Only a few days in the past, Rome reported that Tucker had suffered a fracture, regardless of continued denials from common supervisor Dana Brown. After that report got here out, Brown and Tucker each admitted that the participant had certainly suffered a fracture.
Though the explanations for that obfuscation aren’t clear, the bigger level is that Tucker is now again. He didn’t go on a rehab project and is within the designated hitter slot Friday evening, so maybe the membership is easing him again after a protracted layoff. Possibly he’ll expertise some rust, however he can be an enormous boon to the Astros if he can get anyplace close to his pre-injury kind.
Regardless of the lineup increase, he’ll give the membership a bit much less lineup flexibility if he stays in that DH slot. Yordan Alvarez has been the DH greater than anybody else however he’ll maybe should play left discipline extra repeatedly. It is going to even be tougher to place Alex Bregman in there, as he has been battling a minor elbow situation of late. The membership additionally likes to have Yainer Diaz because the DH generally when Victor Caratini is behind the plate, maintaining Diaz’s bat within the lineup. Maybe that may occur much less typically in consequence as properly.
The outfield group at present consists of Alvarez, Jake Meyers and Ben Gamel, with Chas McCormick and Jason Heyward additionally within the combine. At any time when Tucker is able to take the sphere once more, he’ll push into that group and take a few of their enjoying time, but additionally liberate the DH spot as soon as once more.
Mushinski, 28, may maybe be a part of a brand new membership for the primary time in his profession. He was drafted by the Astros in 2017 and was added to their 40-man roster in 2022. He has served as a regularly optioned depth arm for them since then. He has tossed 33 main league innings over these three campaigns with a 5.45 earned run common. His 8.1% stroll price and 45.2% ground-ball price are near common, however he’s solely struck out 17.4% of batters confronted.
His minor league work has been extra spectacular. In that very same three-year span, he has tossed 114 2/3 innings for Triple-A Sugar Land, placing up a 3.30 ERA regardless of that membership enjoying within the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He has a 26.7% strikeout price and 10.7% stroll price in that pattern.
The Astros must put Mushinski on waivers within the coming days. He can nonetheless be optioned for what stays of this yr however can be out of choices subsequent season. If he does get claimed, he has lower than two years of service time and may due to this fact be managed for 5 seasons past this one. If he have been to go via waivers unclaimed, he wouldn’t have the proper to elect free company since he has by no means been beforehand outrighted and has lower than three years of service time.
