Kyle Tucker Starting On The Bench In Series Finale
Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker will get the day off on Wednesday for the series finale against the division-rival Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Park a day after the Astros clinched the American League West division title. With Tucker on the bench, Jason Heyward will make the start in right field and bat sixth against Mariners right-hander George Kirby. Mauricio Dubon is in left field and in the eight-hole. Tucker fractured his shin fouling a ball off his ankle in early June and didn't return until Sept. 6. Since his return, he's picked up right where he left off and then some, going 18-for-53 (.340) with four home runs, two doubles, eight RBI, 10 walks and a stolen base in 16 games played. Houston is going to need Tucker to continue swinging a hot bat if they want to make another deep postseason run. Heyward has gone hitless in three career at-bats against Kirby and is tough to recommend in DFS in the difficult matchup.
Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker reached base in all five plate appearances in Saturday's 10-4 win over the Angels. The lefty slugger went 4-for-4, homering for the second straight game and reaching via a double, two singles, and a walk. The 27-year-old scored once and collected two RBI as well. The 3x All-Star missed three months after fouling a ball off his shin, but since coming off the IL it doesn't appear that he's missed a beat, going 17-for-42 (.405) with three home runs, seven RBI, 11 runs scored, and a stolen base. The former first-round draft pick looked like an MVP contender before succumbing to injury. When Tucker's out there he's one of the best multi-category producers for fantasy, now with a .289-22-47-53-11 line on the season through 73 games played, which would be closer to .289-42-89-100-21 if he were to get around 600 plate appearances.
Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the San Diego Padres. The Astros have been extremely careful with Tucker since his return from a shin fracture. He has already been absent from the lineup a handful of times since returning a few weeks ago. The good news is that Tucker has moved back to the outfield after being limited to the designated hitter spot when he first returned. In his absence, Jason Heyward will cover right field and bat seventh versus right-hander Dylan Cease. Heyward is slashing .235/.278/.441 with six RBI since joining the Astros roster in late-August. He'll be an avoidable streaming option against a elite arm in Cease.
Kyle Tucker Expected To Play Right Field On Friday
Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said on Thursday that outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) should play right field in Friday's series opener against the Los Angeles Angels on the road for the first time since coming off the 60-day injured list last Friday. Tucker has been serving as the team's designated hitter since returning last week and has struggled at the plate, going 2-for-11 with two RBI, two walks and four strikeouts in his first four games back. It's good news that he'll be moving back to a defensive role this weekend, as it shows he hasn't had any setbacks after recovering from a fractured shin that kept him out since early June. While the 27-year-old left-handed slugger has looked a bit rusty offensively, he still has time to be a difference-maker for both the Astros and fantasy managers down the stretch in the final few weeks of the regular season.
Houston Astros outfielders Kyle Tucker and Chas McCormick will head to the bench on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park against the visiting Oakland Athletics. The Astros are being careful to ease Tucker back into action after he returned last Friday from a lengthy stint on the injured list due to a fractured shin that he sustained in early June. With Tucker and McCormick both out, Ben Gamel is starting in right field and batting seventh, while Mauricio Dubon draws into left field and is hitting ninth against A's right-hander Joey Estes. Tucker is one of the best all-around hitters in baseball, but he has struggled at the plate in his three games back, picking up only one hit in 10 at-bats with an RBI, two walks and four strikeouts over the weekend. So far, the 27-year-old has only served as a designated hitter and has yet to start in right field.
Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker is not in Saturday's lineup as the Astros continue a three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Tucker returned from the 60-day IL on Friday but will take a day off on Saturday as he continues to be built back up. The Astros will likely be cautious with Tucker as the team would prefer for their star outfielder to be a full-go for the playoffs in October. As a result, Chas McCormick will cover right field and bat in the nine-hole. Tucker should be expected to return to the starting nine on Sunday night. McCormick has tallied four hits in his past four games and could be worth a look in DFS as he will face Arizona southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez, who enters Saturday with a hefty 5.33 ERA.
The Houston Astros reinstated outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) from the 60-day injured list on Friday and optioned infield prospect Zach Dezenzo to Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move. The Astros also designated left-hander Parker Mushinski for assignment. At long last, Tucker, who has been out since early June after fracturing his shin, is back in the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks and right-hander Brandon Pfaadt at Minute Maid Park. Tucker is the designated hitter and is batting cleanup on Friday. Fantasy managers will want to get the 27-year-old left-handed slugger back into starting lineups immediately, as he could be a difference-maker down the stretch in the fantasy playoffs. The three-time All-Star had 19 homers, 40 RBI and 10 steals while hitting .266/.395/.584 with a career-best .979 OPS in 60 games before his injury in June.
Astros Hope Kyle Tucker Will Make His Return On Friday
Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said the hope is that outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) can be activated from the 60-day injured list on Friday before the series opener at Minute Maid Park against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Astros are gauging how Tucker recovers from his pregame work that he's been doing the last few days. Tucker fractured his shin when he fouled a ball off of it in early June and has been sidelined ever since. It's been frustrating for fantasy managers, since it wasn't revealed until recently that the 27-year-old had actually been dealing with a fracture and not just a shin contusion. In any event, Tucker's return is imminent, and fantasy managers will want to get him back into their starting lineups immediately. In just 214 at-bats before his injury, Tucker was slashing .266/.395/.584 with a .979 OPS, 19 homers, 40 RBI and 10 stolen bases. He's a difference-maker when he's healthy.
Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said it's "unlikely" that the team will activate outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) from the 60-day injured list on Thursday for the series finale on the road against the Cincinnati Reds, but the skipper also didn't rule it out. Espada termed the decision "day-to-day" at this point. Returning in Cincinnati was also a bit optimistic for Tucker, who has been out since early June after fouling a ball off his shin and fracturing it. The 27-year-old All-Star is on the cusp of a return, though, and fantasy managers that have been stashing him all this time should have him back at some point this weekend in Houston at Minute Maid Park for a series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Hopefully, Tucker can pick up where he left off for fantasy managers and be a difference-maker down the stretch in the final few weeks of the regular season.
Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) confirmed his injury was a fracture when he fouled a ball of it against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 3. Tucker has not played since then but did tell the Houston Chronicle he feels a return is near. Tucker hinted he could be activated from the injured list on Thursday when the American League West leaders close a series at the Cincinnati Reds. Tucker is hitting .266/.395/.584 with 19 homers, 40 RBI, 42 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases, and his return to the lineup is excellent news for fantasy managers who have been without one of the game's most exciting players.
Kyle Tucker
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