Astros GM Says Isaac Paredes Could Return From Injury This Week

With their offense struggling, the Houston Astros are expecting a boost as soon as this weekend. Speaking on MLB Network Radio’s Front Office show Sunday, Houston GM Dana Brown said that Isaac Paredes could return from the injured list for the series against the Mariners, which begins Friday.

 Paredes landed on the 60-day injured list in early August with a right hamstring strain. Brown said losing Paredes was a huge hit to the offense. “I don’t think people realize what a big part of the offense he was.”

Paredes, before the injury, was one of the Astros’ most reliable bats. In 94 games this season, he slashed .259/.359/.470 with 19 home runs and 50 RBIs.His OPS sits around .829, and he leads the club in homers and ranks near the top in RBI and on-base metrics.

The plan that added Carlos Correa at the trade deadline was partly built as insurance. Correa shifted to third base, anticipating that Paredes might not return.

Still, since August 1, Houston’s offense has been mired in a drought, USA Today's Bob Nightengale pointed out.

They’re averaging 3.98 runs per game over that span. They’ve scored two or fewer runs in 11 of their past 18 games.That’s well below their full-season output and not enough when every playoff game matters.

Paredes' return won’t fix everything overnight, but it could shift the momentum.

 With their lineup missing power, contact, and consistency, having a .259/.359/.470 bat with power back in the fold gives Houston another weapon. If Paredes returns sharp, paired with Correa’s presence and veterans like Yordan Álvarez and Jeremy Peña, the Astros might finally begin climbing out of the offensive funk before October begins.