Watch: Astros star Kyle Tucker drops to the ground after hit by foul ball on shinÂ
Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker exited Monday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals after being struck on the shin by a Kyle Gibson pitch in the third inning. The 27-year-old dropped to the ground in pain after the ball fouled off his right shin, prompting a physio and manager Joe Espada to rush to his side.
While he was able to get on his feet and put on his helmet, Tucker decided not to carry on his at-bat and limped off the field at Minute Maid Park.
Kyle Tucker was selected by the Houston Astros as one of the top prospects in the 2015 MLB draft and went on to make his major league debut with them in 2018. He gradually made his way into the lineup with reliable hitting and smart defensive work. He was a central part of their 2022 World Series run and has made the All-Star team the last two years.
After an impressive season last year, Tucker started this season in similar form. While the Astros offence has struggled this season, the right fielder is currently batting a .266 average and his 19 home runs puts him tied a second place in the majors. As one of their better players in a season ravaged by injuries, the Astros staff and fans will be hoping that the damage to his right shin is not too serious.
Yordan Alvarez homers to put Astros on the board after Kyle Tucker's exit vs Cardinals
The Houston Astros got off to a slow start in their game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, going 3-0 down in the top of the third inning. Things got worse when Kyle Tucker exited the game after getting hit by a pitch, but Yordan Alvarez followed up with a two-run home run to get the Astros on the board.
It marked Alvarez's 12th homer of the MLB season and brought the score to 3-2 on the evening. It remains to be seen if the Houston lineup can step up and achieve a comeback as the game heads into its latter stages.