Astros’ All-Star Outfielder Is Poised To Bat Cleanup.
According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, Houston Astros manager Joe Espada believes Kyle Tucker should bat cleanup in his ideal lineup. The outfielder has typically occupied the fifth or sixth slot in the Astros’ lineup. However, he alternated between the third, fourth, and fifth ranks last season. Tucker is one of baseball’s most consistent offensive performers, hitting.284 with 29 home runs, 112 RBI, 97 runs, and 30 steals in 2023.
He is anticipated to have another strong year while hitting behind José Altuve, Yordan Álvarez, and Alex Bregman.
Kyle Tucker is likely to bat in the fourth spot of the lineup.
Tucker finished fifth in the American League MVP vote. He was named Astros MVP by the Houston Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. He also earned his first Silver Slugger Award. Tucker, who came one home run shy of a 30-30 season, said his goal this year is to be more consistent.
“The year is long and there’s a lot of games, but you’ve got to stay on top of it,” he added. “At times, you can become tired from playing so many games in a row, but it’s our responsibility to go out and perform. I do my best to make it a consistent routine every day.”
Tucker’s Numbers Hit Cleanup
For 43 games, the right fielder batted fourth for the Astros. He batted.301/.386/.503 with a.889 OPS, seven home runs, 30 RBI, and 49 hits. However, while batting third, he has similar numbers, slashing.298/.376/.563 with 13 home runs, 47 RBI, and 62 hits over 56 games. Regardless, Tucker will not disappoint at the plate because he is quite experienced hitting in those positions. Furthermore, with three other All-Stars ahead of him, that makes for an excellent top-four lineup in baseball.
Another Extension Candidate?
Tucker has established himself as a top all-around contributor in baseball. He has 89 home runs and 69 stolen bases in the last three seasons. His.278/.353/.517 hitting line in that span has resulted in a 138 wRC+, which ranks 16th among qualified batters. Since taking over as general manager of the Astros last year, Dana Brown has shown a willingness to sign player extensions.
Houston has signed Cristian Javier to a five-year, $64 million contract. Altuve recently signed a five-year, $125 million deal. Tucker still has time to get something done with the club. He is under club control until the end of the 2025 season.
Astros in Uncharted Waters
Houston’s finances show that their greatest Opening Day salary is $188 million in 2021. This year, they’re up to $240 million. Their competitive tax balance amount is likewise high, at $255 million, exceeding the base level of $237 million. Tucker has room to grow moving forward. The team already has contracts with Altuve, Javier, Álvarez, and Josh Hader worth over $100 million from 2025 to 2027.
Arbitration cases involving Tucker and Framber Valdez might add $40 million to next year’s budget of $117 million. Tucker, Bregman, and Justin Verlander’s contracts are set to expire in the next two years.
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