The Houston Astros lost an important player to injury late in the week, as third baseman Isaac Paredes suffered a hamstring strain that has kept him out since Friday, June 13. But ahead of the Astros’ game against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, June 14, Espada provided a positive update on Paredes’ recovery.
In a video shared on Twitter/X by Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Espada announced before the game that Paredes was “Making progress.”
Some updates from Espada pic.twitter.com/IiT4xksn28
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) June 14, 2025
“He’s taking ground balls,” Espada said. “He’s doing a little bit of running in the outfield. So, he’s moving in the right direction.”
The positive update from Espada is welcome news, as Paredes has been one of the best Astros’ hitters in 2025, and losing him for an extended amount of time could’ve hurt their chance of securing the AL West.
In the 2025 season, Paredes is batting .255 with 15 home runs and 42 RBIs. Across his 67 games played, Parades has 251 at-bats and an OPS of .831. Paredes has 64 hits, nine doubles, one triple, 37 runs scored, 36 walks, and 50 strikeouts in his debut season with the Astros.
Acquired from the Chicago Cubs as part of the Kyle Tucker trade, Paredes has helped lead the Astros to their current place, atop the AL West. His return to the lineup is huge, and although the Astros will have to wait a little longer for his return, the update from Espada is a welcome one.
The 26-year-old slugger is on track to be back soon. But, in the meantime, Mauricio Dubon will get the starts at third base and look to provide decent offensive production while Paredes recovers from his hamstring strain.
