Houston Astros manager Joe Espada joined the club's flagship station on Tuesday and shared his thoughts on some pressing issues facing his team.

Espada said both Kyle Tucker and Justin Verlander are making progress and feeling good. But did not reveal a timetable for when we should expect them to return to game action.

What really stood out in the interview was Espada's concern with the amount of innings his starters have been asked to throw this season. Ronel Blanco has already pitched 114.2 innings, and his velocity is down a tick over his last several starts.

“The health of our players is something I'm aware [of]…it keeps me up at night,” said Espada.

The Astros skipper also spoke about the need for a six-man rotation during a long stretch of games in August. He expects some reinforcements to arrive as the current Houston starters like Blanco and Brown near their innings pitched thresholds.

“I know Dana [Brown] and his staff are doing their due diligence to try to get us some help,” said Espada.

Houston's manager is not only focused on keeping his players healthy this season, but also for the long haul.

When asked about the trade deadline specifically, Espada says he's in conversations with Astros GM Dana Brown daily. Not only do they want to find good players, but they also want to find people that will be a “good fit” for the clubhouse.

Based on Espada's comments, it seems like the club knows full well about the challenges that lie ahead. They need players that will fit their championship culture, and that can take some pressure off their starting pitchers.

Another bat wouldn't hurt either…