Express give Tucker a start at first base
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Kyle Tucker made his first professional start at first base for the Class AAA Round Rock Express on Thursday, taking the next step in his exposure to a position at which the Astros have little upper-level depth.
Tucker played parts of two games this season at first base for the Express, but Thursday’s assignment signaled the Astros’ intentions of exposing Tucker to another position.
Myles Straw underwent a similar experience this season, shifting to shortstop after a career playing the outfield. He’s since been thrust into a major league role there after injuries to Carlos Correa and Aledmys Diaz.
Tucker was drafted in 2015 as an outfielder and has never played anything but the three outfield positions during his four-season minor league career. In his brief major league tenure last season, Tucker played left field.
Two factors likely precipitated Tucker’s move. To make room for Jose Urquidy on the 40-man roster, the Astros designated AJ Reed for assignment prior to the All-Star break. Reed was claimed off waivers by the White Sox, robbing the Express of their first baseman and the Astros of depth at the position.
Taylor Jones, enjoying a breakout season at Class AAA, will assume first-base duties. Tucker serves as insurance there.
Gaining versatility will only aid Tucker’s chance at a call-up. At the major league level, the 22year-old is blocked at all three outfield positions. Jake Marisnick’s consistency cements him as the fourth outfielder and Yordan Alvarez is the designated hitter, leaving little room for Tucker.
The Astros appear unwilling to try Alvarez at first base this season and it’s unknown whether that stance will change in spring training. That Tucker at least has some experience there could lead to more looks in spring training. Everyday first baseman Yuli Gurriel is a free agent after the 2020 season — as are all three of the starting outfielders.
Tucker entered Thursday’s game with a .931 OPS and .575 slugging percentage in 327 Class AAA at-bats. If not for his horrid start to the season — when Alvarez
jumped him on the organizational pecking order — perhaps Tucker would occupy his spot on the major league roster.
Getaway game time upsets Astros
The Astros are aware of their upcoming terrible travel. Talk has surrounded this stretch for a while, but it arrived Thursday at Angel Stadium, where the first pitch of this series finale against the Angels was at 8:07 p.m. CDT.
When it ended at 10:45 p.m.
CDT, an hourlong drive to Los Angeles International Airport awaited before a 3½-hour flight. The travel agenda estimated the team will arrive in Houston at 5:15 a.m. Friday. Fourteen hours later, at 7:05 p.m. Friday, the Astros will open a three-game divisional series against the Texas Rangers at Minute Maid Park.
“To censor myself, it’s BS,” Josh Reddick said. “I don’t think one person is happy about the night game travel. I think it’s a complete misjudgment on how they make a schedule. It’s absurd,
really. Look at us, we don’t do that to anyone. We don’t ever give them a (getaway day) night game unless it’s “Sunday Night Baseball” on ESPN. It makes no sense. It really makes no sense. A lot of guys aren’t happy about it, myself included.”
Normally, home teams set their schedule and game times. As Reddick intimated, national television sometimes interferes and causes situations like these. Thursday’s game was not carried on any national network.
The sport’s collective bargaining agreement, which expires in 2021, states the latest possible start time for getaway day games “shall be determined by taking the portion of the in-flight time that exceeds 2½ hours, and subtracting that amount of time from 7 p.m.” Hence, Thursday’s game started at 6 p.m. local time.
“It’ll be brutal,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “It’s one of those things that I hope they address in the next CBA. Other teams do it — we’re not the only one — so it’s more of a broader topic across the league. Especially in our division (for) teams that are coming back to Texas, it’s brutal.”
The Astros flew Friday starter Justin Verlander to Houston early — customary practice regardless of travel circumstances. The team would have done the same for a Saturday starter, too, but the Astros do not have one.
“It’s on our schedule,” Hinch said. “We’re going to play and we need to win. We’re going to play our normal guys (Friday) and I’ll address any sort of rest over the weekend.”
Added Reddick: “It’s going to be a long day, but this is what we get paid to do. We suck it up and hopefully take it as a little spark to fire us up.”