Will there still be room for Jed Lowrie? (USATSI)
Will there still be room for Jed Lowrie? (USATSI)

It's easy to forget now, because he hasn't played a game since late April, but Jed Lowrie was everything the Astros are hoping Carlos Correa can be for the first month of the season. However, a torn ligament in his right thumb has kept him out since late April, making him something of a forgotten man.

The veteran Lowrie hit .300/.432/.567 in the first 18 games of the season, and was arguably the best hitter in the team's lineup. Now, with Correa up seemingly for good, the question of where Lowrie fits and whether Fantasy owners should be waiting on him to return anyways.

Lowrie is still owned in 41 percent of CBSSports.com leagues, and general manager Jeff Luhnow told reporters Lowrie will remain a "big part of the team" when he is healthy. What does that mean for Fantasy owners? Where can he fit?

There is one obvious spot the Astros can slot Lowrie in, if he gets healthy around his All-Star break timetable. Though third baseman Luis Valbuena has 12 home runs, he personifies a lot of what is still flawed about the Astros overall, as he has a 22.1 percent strikeout rate and is hitting .184 with a .253 OBP. Lowrie has logged 525 career innings at third base, and should be able to slide in there if Valbuena continues to be an all-or-nothing contributor.

And, of course, there is always the risk that Correa, for all his bountiful gifts, just isn't ready yet. There is no shame in that, of course; even Mike Trout made it just 40 games in his first stint in the majors before being sent back down. Between Valbuena and Correa, there should be somewhere for Lowrie to play when he is cleared in a month or so.

So, is his upside worth waiting on? Lowrie hit just .249/.321/.355 last season with six home runs, hardly the kind of numbers that would make you think your patience will be rewarded. However, over the course of his career, it is that 2014 season that looks like an outlier, not Lowrie's hot April.

Lowrie hit just .228 against left-handed pitching last season with one home run, and the lack of power isn't a total surprise, since he managed just one homer against lefties in the previous season. Maybe he just isn't a power hitter from the right side of the plate anymore -- though his three home runs in 21 plate appearances before the injury beg to differ. However, he is a career .288 hitter against lefties overall, so his low average a year ago looks pretty fluky, especially in light of his .264 BABIP against them.

Overall, Lowrie has mostly managed to hold his own from both sides of the plate, with a bit more success against southpaws overall. At his best, Lowrie combines decent contact skills, plus power and relatively slim platoon splits, making him a useful everyday Fantasy option.

And that is what he could return to as soon as his thumb gets healthy. In a best-case scenario, Lowrie gets back to full strength and has no lingering problems, in which case a .280 average and double-digit home run pace isn't out of the question. As a middle infielder with shortstop eligibility, that is totally worth waiting for.

However, this injury could be the kind that doesn't allow for an easy return. Sure, Lowrie could come back as soon as the All-Star break without skipping a beat, but we've seen countless players struggle with thumb issues that specifically sap their power.

For Lowrie, batting left-handed could be especially difficult with a right thumb that isn't at full strength, because it could impact his ability to grip the bat. That could leave him with less power than expected against the majority of pitchers he faces.

Though Correa's call up always seemed inevitable, the fact that he is up for sure does make it a little less likely that Lowrie will have an everyday job waiting for him. Between that risk and the potential that he won't be 100-percent healthy this season makes waiting on him at least a little risky.

If you have the room, Lowrie is a fine stash candidate, but he is no sure thing now.