Promising Houston Astros news might just guarantee them AL West title

At one point in the year, the Houston Astros looked to be on the decline portion of their triumphant dynasty. Then, their MVP candidate outfielder, Kyle Tucker, went down with an injury and it seemed as if the entire season was lost for Houston.

They proceeded to go on an incredible tear, not just closing the gap in the AL West, but passing the Seattle Mariners up completely. They've placed themselves in the driver's seat in the division with just under a month to go in the regular season.

FanGraphs gives them an incredible 93.8 percent chance to win the division. This number could jump up even higher when the team's best player returns.

And it's looking like Tucker will be back in the Astros lineup sooner rather than later.

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Astros eyeing potential Kyle Tucker return as early as September 4th

And yes, before the injury, Tucker was Houston's best player. He was slashing .266/.395/.584 with 19 home runs, 10 stolen bases and more walks than strikeouts in just 60 games. He was right in the mix of the AL MVP debates early in the year.

Astros beat writer, Chadler Rome, is reporting that Tucker could poentially be back in the Astros lineup this week, citing Wednesday or Thursday against the Cincinnati Reds as potential return dates.

This return would likely lock up the division title for Houston. They've been missing an impact bat all season and Tucker would provide them with exactly that upon his return.

A return date of September 4th or 5th would give Tucker right around a month to get back in the box, find his groove and his swing again before Houston heads into the postseason. This month won't be as much about his production, but more about getting him back in the flow of things before the Astros are really chasing the pennant and another World Series title.

For the Mariners, it's crushing news to hear that Tucker is nearing his return. Any hope that they were holding onto to win the division should go out the window. They still have an outside shot at the AL Wild Card, but the odds aren't in their favor. Barring an incredible win streak, Seattle is likely to be on the outside looking in when October rolls around.