Astros manager Joe Espada said he thinks Tucker returning without rehab games is “a possibility.”

“I think with the live BPs, we can rehearse enough the at-bats (to) where he feels comfortable in the batter’s box,” Espada said. “But the other aspects, we’ve just got to make sure that we see him. Ball in the gap, there’s only that many drills you can do for that. There’s a possibility we can do it without him going on a rehab. But we’ve just got to have enough reps and we’ve all got to feel comfortable.”

Tucker said running at 75% is “roughly where I’m comfortable right now” and acknowledged he “(hasn’t) quite been able to get up to a full 100%.” He said he is unsure if being able to run at 100% will be necessary for him to return.

“Hitting-wise I feel good, I feel confident in how I could go out there and compete and take my at-bats,” Tucker said. “But … you’ve got to run the bases after you hit the ball. So if I’m not trying to beat out an infield single or get a hustle double or anything right now, I think I’d be fine … But there’s a lot of other things that require you to instinctively take off and compete.”

Tucker said he is also conscious of needing to build up his lower body strength and conditioning after a long absence to avoid a setback or another injury that would derail his attempt to play regularly and at “a high level” when he returns.

“We need to get him on the bases for him to feel strong and comfortable and making turns, sliding, all that baseball activity,” Espada said. “But I feel really good about where he’s at right now. We’re getting really close here.”

Regaining even a limited version of Tucker could tempt the Astros, who have lacked production in their corner outfield. But lack of flexibility on their roster might complicate the idea of activating Tucker if he isn’t ready to play the outfield.

Houston values giving Yordan Alvarez regular starts at designated hitter to avoid overtaxing him in left field. Third baseman Alex Bregman is also dealing with a troublesome elbow that may relegate him to some DH starts. If Tucker were to return and take DH at-bats, it would add to the logjam there.

For Tucker to even DH, running the bases hard is a hurdle he must clear. Tucker said he is attempting to “speed up the process” of building up his running while “also doing it in a smart way.”

Neither Tucker nor Espada offered a firm timeline of when Tucker might return. Tucker did not rule out doing so in the Astros’ upcoming series in Cincinnati or the ensuing homestand but acknowledged that he still has “some boxes to check.”

“Not just hitting lives but also running around, being able to shag fly balls and being able to full sprint to catch a ball, cut a ball off in the gap … and also running the bases at a high level, high effort,” Tucker said. “I’ve just got to get to that point first. But I’m trying to do that as fast as possible and get back.”