As the Astros approach the home stretch of the season, it's become clear that they really miss the pop that Kyle Tucker provides in the middle of the lineup.

They were able to get by without Tucker for a while, but now the offense is really feeling his loss. Especially when it comes to power numbers.

And while fans certainly miss Tucker's contributions on the field, what's going on behind the scenes really has people perplexed.

Why is a bone bruise taking so long to heal? Tucker has been out since injuring his leg on June 3, and the club can't share a date we should expect him to return. SportsMap's Charlie Pallilo posted this on X two days ago.

Deep bone bruises can keep players sidelined for significant periods of time, especially when swelling occurs around the knee. But the Astros' reputation for not being forthcoming with injury details have some fans and media rightfully skeptical.

Case in point. How long did it take for the organization to admit Justin Verlander needed Tommy John surgery a few years back?

Being upfront about injuries is only part of it

The Jose Abreu saga is a perfect example. Anyone with eyes could see that Abreu just couldn't cut it anymore in the big leagues. Yet, Jeff Bagwell and Joe Espada were telling us how much better he looked at the Florida Complex League and spreading the “back of the baseball card” nonsense that upset the entire fanbase.

The point being, if they misrepresented the Abreu situation in some people's eyes, why would things be any different with Tucker?

Personally, I think Tucker's extended absence is just bad luck. But it's hard to give them the benefit of the doubt when every injury update seemingly involves some type of “discomfort.”

Looking ahead

At this point, whether his injury was misdiagnosed or the club kept quiet about the severity of the injury really doesn't matter. We'll probably never know the full story, and the most important thing is Tucker returns to the team ASAP and fully healthy.

Blame Game

Who deserves the heat for the team's approach to free agency before the season?

Have the Astros learned from their mistakes (Abreu, Rafael Montero) while operating without a GM?

And do they already regret the Josh Hader contract?

This is one video you don't want to miss as we try to get to the bottom of the Tucker situation, examine who's the final decision maker in the club's front office, and so much more!

Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via The SportsMap HOU YouTube channel or listen to episodes in their entirety at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.