After seeing Yordan Alvarez suffer “a pretty significant” left ankle sprain earlier this week that will keep him sidelined for a while, the Houston Astros needed some good news on the injury front.
Luckily for the 'Stros, they’re getting back third baseman Isaac Paredes as they’re set to open up a huge three-game series against the Seattle Mariners. Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported on Friday that Paredes is expected to be reinstated from IL on Friday and be available to play.
The last time we saw Paredes was against Seattle, where he suffered a hamstring strain on July 19. For the Astros, this could not come at a better time, as they’re tied with the Mariners for first place in the AL West.
This weekend series could go a long way in determining who wins the division and who gets a wild-card spot in the American League. And bringing a guy like Paredes back to the lineup, who has 19 home runs, is a good boost at this stage of the season.
Astros Getting Huge Boost with Isaac Paredes Coming Back From IL
Houston fans are not completely surprised to see the veteran infielder back, as Astros general manager Dana Brown hinted last week that Paredes could return for his pivotal series.
Also, Astros manager Joe Espada gave an optimistic update on Paredes’ status last week, as he told reporters that the veteran third baseman was taking live batting practice, running the bases, and doing all the defensive work.
When Paredes was sent to the IL, he was slashing .259/.359/.470 with 19 home runs and 50 RBI across 94 games. In fact, in the 14 games he played in July, the veteran slugger hit .286 with five doubles, two home runs, and four RBI.
Now, it will be interesting to see where the Astros play Paredes. They can’t put him at the hot corner, as Carlos Correa is hitting .294 this month with four doubles, three home runs, and six RBI.
Therefore, the next best option could be at the designated hitter spot for Paredes, especially if the Astros are facing a right-handed starting pitcher. Before he got hurt, the veteran infielder was hitting .269 with 16 home runs and 42 RBI off righties.
The Astros have three games against the Mariners in Houston before ending the regular season with a six-game road trip against the Athletics and Los Angeles Angels. It won’t be an easy task, but having Paredes for the remaining games could give them a slight edge.