Before their three-game series began on Friday, both Houston and Arizona welcomed back an All-Star from injury. Right fielder Kyle Tucker returned to the Astros, and second baseman Ketel Marte came off the injured list for the Diamondbacks.
Tucker had been sidelined since June 3 due to a fractured right shin caused by a foul ball. While he’s not fully recovered, he was included in the lineup as the designated hitter on Friday night before playing in the field.
“It’s just kind of day to day to see how he feels,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “But it’s not going to be like pencil him in days in a row, we’re just going to have to wait and see how he feels.”
When asked about Tucker’s performance in the outfield, Espada commented, “Defensively we don’t know yet until he goes out there, but running you’ll see 75-80%.”
Before his injury, Tucker had been performing well with 11 doubles, 19 home runs, and 40 RBIs in 60 games.
Marte, who was also in the lineup as the designated hitter on Friday, had a shorter stint on the injured list. He had been out since August 18 due to a sprained left ankle.
“He’s looking great and we’re really excited about how hard he worked to make this day happen,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.
“He’s one of the best players in the National League, so getting him in this clubhouse, in this dugout, in this lineup is good for all of us, including him. And I know he’s excited to be back.”
Lovullo mentioned that Marte would initially play as the designated hitter before returning to second base. Before his injury, Marte was hitting .298 with 30 home runs and 81 RBIs.
To make space for Marte, outfielder Jorge Barrosa was sent to Triple-A Reno on Thursday.
When Tucker was reinstated from the 60-day injured list, Houston optioned infielder Zach Dezenzo to Triple-A Sugar Land and designated left-hander Parker Mushinski for assignment.
