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.

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.

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.

According to three people briefed on the matter, Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) suffered a fractured shin early on June 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals, which has caused him to miss nearly three months. When asked on Saturday whether Tucker's shin had a fracture, general manager Dana Brown said it did not. Since Tucker went on the injured list, the Astros have called his injury a "deep bruise of the bone" or a "shin contusion." "After several rounds of medical imaging, we suspect there was some type of small fracture," Brown said on Monday. The 27-year-old All-Star slugger has been running at full speed and taking batting practice off minor-league pitchers, though, and accompanied the team to Cincinnati for a three-game series against the Reds that starts on Monday. Brown said on Sunday that Tucker could "potentially" return from the IL on either Wednesday or Thursday without going on a rehab assignment.

Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) is reportedly really close to coming off the injured list, according to manager Joe Espada. The 27-year-old hasn't played since the beginning of June due to a lingering shin issue. Tucker has been slowly making progress and appears at the verge of playing for the Astros here soon. The organization has discussed bringing Tucker along for the upcoming three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. If not, Tucker would likely return for the home series versus the Arizona Diamondbacks. Before going down, Tucker was hitting .266 with 19 home runs and 40 RBI across 60 games. Fantasy managers should stay tuned for more information on Tucker in the coming days.

Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin), who took live batting practice on Friday against a minor-league pitcher, provided a long update on his condition and said it's an "option" for him to play in next week's series at Great American Ball Park against the Cincinnati Reds, but he's more likely to return during the next homestand that begins next Friday, Sept. 6. It's possible that Tucker will go on a minor-league rehab assignment before coming off the 60-day injured list, but he prefers not to have one. In addition to taking BP on Friday, the 27-year-old also ran full speed again, although the final box he must check is running the bases at full speed. Tucker has been out somehow since early June with a mere right-shin contusion, but he now has a firm timetable for a return right around the corner. He should not be floating around on any waiver wires.

Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) is taking live batting practice against a minor-league pitcher at Minute Maid Park before Friday's game against the Kansas City Royals. The only box left to check for Tucker now is to run the bases full speed. He hasn't played since June 3, when he fouled a ball off his leg and suffered a shin contusion. But as long as Tucker can run the bases at full speed soon, he should return to Houston's starting lineup in early September. When healthy, the 27-year-old left-handed-hitting right fielder is one of the best players in baseball. The former fifth overall pick in 2015 has made the All-Star team each of the last three seasons and was hitting .266 (57-for-214) with 19 home runs, 40 RBI and 10 stolen bases already through just 60 games before his unfortunate injury. He could be a difference-maker the final few weeks of the season for fantasy managers.

Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) hasn't been traveling with the team during their road trip through Baltimore and Philadelphia, but he has instead been working out back in Houston. Manager Joe Espada said on Tuesday that Tucker has been sprinting in the outfield, which means he's close to running the bases. The club has said previously that would be his final hurdle before going out on a minor-league rehab assignment. Tucker has been out since June 3 due to a right shin contusion, but this point of progression in his recovery keeps him on track to first resume running the bases and then go out on his assignment sometime in the near future. Fantasy managers can still expect the 27-year-old five-category superstar to make his long-awaited return to the Astros in early September.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said on Sunday that "there is nothing new to report" about outfielder Kyle Tucker's (shin) progress back in Houston after he didn't accompany the team on their two-city, seven-game road trip. General manager Dana Brown remains bullish that Tucker could return in the first week of September, but September starts in six days, and Espada confirmed that Tucker is still not sprinting at full speed, nor has he tested himself running the bases. Until he does, a minor-league rehab assignment won't be realistic. Brown has already said Tucker will have to manage some amount of pain upon his return, so fantasy managers that have been waiting all this time for Tucker's return shouldn't just expect him to return to his All-Star self. That Tucker continues to take batting practice and throw without issues is encouraging, though.

The Houston Astros are hoping to have outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) back in early September, general manager Dana Brown said on Friday on MLB Network. To put it lightly, fantasy managers have been extremely perplexed as to why Tucker has been out since early June with a shin bruise. Brown said that Tucker has been increasing his baseball activities lately, but the 27-year-old still feels soreness in his right leg "when he has to sprint or do anything at a quick pace." He is going to need to run the bases before the Astros give Tucker the green light to start a minor-league rehab assignment, so if he can't run the bases soon, Tucker's absence could stretch into the middle of June. Fantasy managers shouldn't outright drop one of the best players in the game (when healthy), but he's also running out of time to make an impact.

Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) took batting practice on the field again on Monday and continued to do drills in the outfield. Tucker is jogging, but manager Joe Espada has said previously that Tucker won't be getting close to a minor-league rehab assignment until he can run the bases, which he has yet to do. Fantasy managers have to be wondering why Tucker has missed so much time -- he went on the 10-day injured list on June 7 with a right-shin contusion. At the time of his injury, his .979 OPS was fourth in baseball behind Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Marcell Ozuna, and he also ranked second in the American League in walks (46) and third in slugging (.584). He is the third player in franchise history with at least 19 homers in the team's first 59 games. It might not be until September until we see Tucker again, but he needs to be stashed in all fantasy formats.

Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) is doing on-field work at Tropicana Field on Monday before the contest against the hosting Tampa Bay Rays that includes crow-hop throws, short distance, side-to-side explosive movements, some jogging and taking fly balls in left field. It's the most that Tucker has done at any point since he went on the injured list in early June with a shin contusion. Manager Joe Espada said on Sunday that Tucker appears to have turned a corner in his recovery and is "getting close" to running the bases. It's been extremely frustrating for Tucker's fantasy managers, but the 27-year-old left-handed slugger could be getting close to going on a minor-league rehab assignment and could finally rejoin the Astros at the end of August or early September. Despite all the time missed, Tucker needs to be stashed in all fantasy leagues.

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said that outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) is doing "limited baseball activity" and is "coming along really well." Tucker has been out since early June after fouling a pitch off his shin and was moved to the 60-day injured list last Tuesday. It's been extremely frustrating for fantasy managers because of the fact that the Astros all along have said the 27-year-old All-Star is merely dealing with a contusion to his right leg. Houston is optimistic that Tucker will return to the team before September, but there's no specific timeline for his return outside of that. All fantasy managers can do is continue to stash him and hope he can pick up where he left off in the first half of the season. Tucker is one of the best overall fantasy assets when healthy and was hitting .266/.395/.584 with a .979 OPS, 19 homers, 40 RBI and 10 steals at the time of his injury.

Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) was transferred to the 60-day injured list on Tuesday. This procedural move doesn't alter Tucker's timeline for a return from a right shin contusion, but it's been a frustratingly lengthy absence since early June for the Astros and fantasy managers to say the least. The 27-year-old All-Star slugger was slashing an MVP-caliber .266/.395/.584 with 19 home runs, 40 RBI, 42 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases across 214 at-bats before heading to the IL, and he should be back to help Houston at some point in August, depending on when he moves on to a minor-league rehab assignment. With corner outfielder and top prospect Joey Loperfido on the move north of the border to the Toronto Blue Jays ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline in the Yusei Kikuchi deal, Trey Cabbage should see the lion's share of work in right field until Tucker is finally ready to make his long-awaited return.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said that outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) is doing some work in the outfield prior to Friday's contest against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. Tucker is "improving but not at the pace we would want him to." Fantasy managers have been extremely disappointed with the fact that Tucker remains on the 10-day injured list despite suffering a right-shin contusion way back in early June. While the 27-year-old left-handed slugger is expected to return before September, he's running out of time to make a significant impact in fantasy the rest of the way. Tucker continues to do baseball activities, but his final hurdle will be running the bases at full speed. When healthy, he's one of the most valuable fantasy players in the game, so he needs to remain stashed everywhere.