Astros’ Kyle Tucker leaves game after fouling right shin

HOUSTON — Astros right fielder Kyle Tucker left Monday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals in the third inning after fouling his right shin.

X-rays were negative according to Tucker and manager Joe Espada, who called the outfielder “day in and day out” after Houston’s 7-4 victory. The team officially classified Tucker’s injury as a “right shin contusion.”

Espada would not speculate on whether Tucker would need to be placed on the injured list, but said he was “encouraged” by Tucker’s appearance in the clubhouse. Tucker needed crutches to move around when reporters were present.

“I feel good. We did some x-rays and nothing was broken or anything,” Tucker said. “I’m sure we’ll do some other things tomorrow and so on, but right now, It just hurts a little. It’s okay, we’ll get through this.

Tucker, who wears a shin guard on his right leg, collapsed to the ground after the baseball hit him higher than the protective cover reached. He remained hunched over in pain for several minutes before attempting to get up and finish his at-bat.

Tucker took a few steps around the batter’s box and carried very little weight on his right leg. After Tucker shook his head toward the first base dugout, manager Joe Espada appeared to pull him out for a pinch hitter.

“I don’t like coming out of games. I try to stay when I can,” Tucker said. “When I came back (into the batter’s box) and tried to take a step harder, it didn’t feel very right and I really wasn’t going to try to go deeper at bat or even run to the first one. I just called it from there.

Houston did not immediately provide an update on Tucker’s condition. After singled in his first at-bat against Cardinals starter Kyle Gibson, Tucker raised his slash line to .266/.395/.584. He leads the Astros in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, extra base hits (30) and home runs (19).

Tucker woke up Monday as one of the American League MVP favorites. He boasted the fifth-best OPS in baseball while trailing Aaron Judge for the major league lead in home runs. Tucker also stole his 10th base of the season on Monday, continuing his 30/30 season pace that has eluded him the past two years.

Tucker was the best hitter on a high-level lineup in Houston. Missing him for any length of time would stun a club looking for continuity amid a 27-34 start.

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(Photo: Logan Riely/Getty Images)