Houston Astros star named All-Star reserve

The Houston Astros had two players named as All-Star starters, and another star was added to the team when the replacements were announced Sunday. Kyle Tucker earned his third selection to the American League All-Star team in what has been a breakout season.

2024 will be Tucker’s third straight year on the All-Star team, and it could be argued he would have been a starter if not for his injury. The 27-year-old missed about a month with a shin injury after going on injured reserve on June 7.

Before his injury, Tucker had been in the MVP conversation for 60 games. The left-hander was hitting .266/.395/.584 with a .979 OPS and 179 OPS+. He also had 40 RBIs and 19 home runs, which put him on pace for a 50-homer season at the time.

Also impressive is that he had more walks (46) than strikeouts (41).

Tucker hit a ball on his shin and had to leave the game on June 3 because he couldn’t stand on it. Still on the 10-day injured list, the outfielder is slowly but surely making his comeback. According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Tucker has been running on a treadmill and hitting in the cage, but has not performed any baseball-related activities on the field.

As such, Tucker is unlikely to play in the game and will likely be replaced on the roster before the game begins.

Even without Tucker, the Astros will have plenty of representatives at Globe Life Field. Houston will have two starters, Jose Altuve at second and Yordan Alvarez at designated hitter for the American League.

Altuve is hitting .310 with 13 home runs, earning him his ninth All-Star selection. Alvarez is hitting .298 with 19 home runs, earning his third Midsummer Classic nomination.

While Tucker won’t be playing in this year’s game, it’s likely not his last chance to play. One of the most underrated stars in football will be back at the position for years to come. In the midst of a breakout season, even by his standards, the injury was an unfortunate setback.

Regardless, the Astros have gained ground in the American League West, even without the help of Kyle Tucker. As it stands, Houston is just 2.5 games back of the division leader and three games out of a wild card spot.