Houston Astros Star Named Player to Be ‘Considered’ for Team USA in 2028 Olympics

The Houston Astros star could be selected to represent his country for the third time in his life.

Jul 14, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) and right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) look on as designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) waves to the crowd before the game against the Texas Rangers at Minute Maid Park. / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Despite playing better over the past two months, the Houston Astros are missing one of their best players, Kyle Tucker. One could even make a strong argument that he's the best player on their roster

Sure, Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez are two of the best in baseball, but when Tucker is playing like he did for the first 60 games of the year before he went down, there aren't many players in baseball that can match his production.

It's unfortunate that he's dealing with this injury, and it's even more disheartening that it's uncertain when he'll return. Not only do the Astros need him, but baseball misses him. He's one of the most entertaining players in the game to watch when he stands up to the plate, so hopefully, for baseball fans, he'll return sometime in the near future.

Head coach Joe Espada told reporters that he hasn't started running yet on Saturday, which brings some worries about when he'll return.

“We need to get him running,” Espada told reports. “The light jog we’re seeing is a step in the right direction, but we want him to be pushing himself, cutting, doing all the outfield drills at max effort for us to put a timetable on when we can get him back.”

“We need to get him running. The light jog we’re seeing is a step in the right direction, but we want him to be pushing himself, cutting, doing all the outfield drills at max effort for us to put a timetable on when we can get him back.”

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— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) August 9, 2024

For Houston to be the team they're looking to be, they'll need him to return before October. Losing a hitter who was slashing .260/.395/.584 with 19 home runs in 214 at-bats is massive for this lineup, despite how well they can swing the bat without him.

All that to say, Tucker is important and one of the best in baseball.

With all the positives about the left-handed hitting slugger, there's a chance that he'll earn a very prestigious honor one day. The 27-year-old has already represented Team USA twice, playing in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and on the 2012 15u National Team.

Tucker's 2012 15u National Team swept the Dominican Friendship Series in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. 

Dayn Perry of CBS Sports seems to believe that he'll have another chance to represent his country, listing him as a considered candidate for the 2028 Olympics.

Baseball is expected to return to the Olympics in 2028, and Major League Baseball is expected to allow its players to play. Whether they decide to do that hasn't been fully finalized, but there seems to be a good chance they'll allow their players to compete for a gold medal. 

Tucker, who'll be 31 then, certainly deserves a chance, given what he's done throughout his career.