With Houston Astros Stars Ailing, Now is the Time for Young Guns to Shine

Young Houston Astros players are getting extended opportunities at the MLB level due to veteran injuries. But can they fill those shoes?

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Astros rookie pitchers Hunter Brown and J.P. France have already carried a mighty load in an injury-plagued starting rotation.

And they've done so with tremendous success.

With Yordan Álvarez and Jose Altuve recently going on the injured list with extended ailments, now is the time for the young guns to shine.

Players such as Yainer Diaz, Corey Julks, Mauricio Dubón, Grae Kessinger, Bligh Madris and David Hensley, to name a handful, have been granted the opportunity for extended playing time due to Houston's most recent setbacks.

Diaz has been phenomenal through 50 games for the Astros, with the 24-year-old backstop slashing .265/.283/.497 with 10 home runs and 21 RBI.

Julks has also proven himself time and time again, especially during the team's recent surge, and is currently slashing .285/.339/.413 with six home runs, 29 RBI and 15 stolen bases.

Dubón, who has done a superb job this year filling in for Altuve to start the campaign, is slashing .287/.312/.409 with four home runs, 21 RBI and five stolen bases.

Kessinger has only appeared in eight games this year for the Astros and is slashing .200/.368/.400 with one home run and one RBI in limited playing time.

Madris, meanwhile, has only made the starting lineup seven times and is slashing a dismal .111/.200/.167 with just two hits through 18 at-bats.

Hensley, on the other hand, was recently recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land and has appeared in 27 games with Houston this season while slashing just .127/.216/.177 with one home run, three RBI and a stolen base.

Diaz, Julks and Dubon have all made significant impacts on the team this season, and it appears as though the latest setbacks will give Kessinger, Madris and Hensley plenty of opportunities to improve their numbers.

The Astros (49-40) currently sit three games behind the first-place Texas Rangers (52-37) in the American League West, and now is the time for these young guys to prove their worth.

Especially with the MLB All-Star break on the horizon, the trade deadline looming and the Houston brass itching to solidify a team with the potential of making it back-to-back titles.

For now, it's one game at a time.

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