Houston Astros Place Their Superstar on 60-Day IL in Latest Injury Blow

On deadline day, the biggest news that happened for the Houston Astros is that they have placed their superstar on the 60-day injured list.

May 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) wipes off his uniform after hitting a double against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning at Minute Maid Park / Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

There was an expectation the Houston Astros would be aggressive ahead of the trade deadline as they had a couple different areas they wanted to address for their second half stretch.

Starting pitching and first base were the positions of need.

The Astros got their starter in veteran Yusei Kikuchi, but they certainly gave up a hefty price to get that done. With a lineup upgrade next on the list, they were reportedly pushing hard to acquire Yandy Diaz to be a plug-and-play guy in the field.

Nothing materialized and the Tampa Bay Rays ultimately decided to hold onto him.

Bringing in a first baseman might have been viewed as more of a luxury by Dana Brown and his front office, especially considering the package they gave up to land their new starting pitcher, and the fact Kyle Tucker should be returning at some point in the second half.

It's been a slow process getting the superstar slugger back onto the field after suffering what has been classified as a right shin contusion back in early-June.

Tucker was initially put on the 10-day injured list with the thought process being he would return to game action whenever he was eligible, but his recovery has not gone as expected.

Now, Chandler Rome of The Athletic is reporting that Houston has officially transferred their right-fielder to the 60-day IL to open up a spot on the 40-man roster for the newly promoted Pedro Leon. He also reports this is a procedural move to clear space, so this doesn't indicate that Tucker will be out longer than the initial updated timeline suggested.

Still, this is frustrating for the Astros.

They have dealt with injuries throughout the season, one of the main reasons why they got off to such a slow start and had to author the best turnaround in the sport this year to get back into the playoff mix.

Tucker had been putting together an MVP-caliber season when he was on the field, so having him on the shelf for so long before they get into the playoffs is concerning.

Hopefully this status change will allow him to get fully healthy instead of feeling like he needs to rush back because of the roster limitations.