Carlos Correa isn’t shutting the door on a return to the Astros this season, and he’s doing enough on the field to make the idea sound less like wishful thinking and more like a real possibility.
The shortstop, who had ankle surgery in early May after what he originally called a season-ending injury, has already gotten back to baseball activities. He’s running at nearly full effort, taking ground balls and could be cleared to start hitting after his doctor’s appointment on Tuesday. That progress led to the obvious question: could Correa somehow be back in the mix for a September push?
“We’ll see,” Correa said on Saturday. “I wouldn’t be doing all this work if I didn’t think there was a chance.”
Correa tore the peroneus brevis tendon in his left ankle during a freak accident in pregame batting practice on May 5. He had surgery on May 11 and said then that the recovery window would be six to eight months. He still hasn’t hit the three-month mark in that recovery.
Even so, Correa said he attacked the rehab process immediately.
“As soon as I got hurt, I got on this protocol and I started looking for all the information I could into how to speed up the process - the things I needed to eat, how I needed to sleep, the type of treatment I needed,” Correa said. “We’ve been doing a great job of that. We’re in a good spot.”
For Houston, any version of Correa back in uniform would be a welcome boost. The Astros are still working toward the trade deadline on Monday, and the lineup is already top-heavy enough that even a partial return would change the conversation. Before the injury, Correa was hitting .279/.369/.418 with a .787 OPS, which would rank as the third-highest mark in Houston’s everyday lineup.
His return would also bring a familiar roster puzzle back to the forefront. Isaac Paredes, who was bumped from third base when Correa arrived from Minnesota at last July’s trade deadline, has been one of the club’s most productive hitters and handled third base well during Correa’s absence.
Then there’s Jeremy Peña, who is Houston’s second most-valuable player behind American League MVP front-runner Yordan Alvarez. Correa has already said he wanted to move off shortstop to help extend his career and reduce soft-tissue injuries, which only adds another layer to how the Astros might sort out the infield if he comes back.
One possible path would involve Jose Altuve shifting off second base and returning to left field, a move that would create room for Paredes. There is belief inside the organization that Altuve would be open to that arrangement if the situation calls for it, and Correa’s return would clearly qualify.
For now, Correa is focused on the next checkpoint. He said he still hasn’t sprinted at 100 percent, though he has reached “some 80s, 90s.” Tuesday’s appointment will be the next big test.
“I’m in a really good spot. A really good spot,” Correa said.
“I don’t feel it. Been progressing to running and sprinting and it feels great.”
The timing matters because Houston moved into first place in the American League West on Friday, and Correa said the team’s recent play has only pushed him harder.
“The way we’ve been playing lately definitely motivates me even more to go out there, put in the work and try to make it back,” Correa said. “We’ll take it day by day.”
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