Carlos Correa’s recovery has taken a promising turn, and it’s the kind of update Astros fans have been waiting for.
According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Correa got positive news from the doctor on Tuesday and has been cleared to start swinging the bat. McTaggart reported, “Astros SS/3B Carlos Correa received good news at the doctor today, getting cleared to start swinging the bat, a source said. Correa is trying to buck the odds and return to the field late in the season after undergoing tendon surgery in May,”
That’s a meaningful step for a player whose season looked like it might be over after he suffered an ankle injury in May. Now, there’s at least a path back, even if the timing of his return remains uncertain.
Before the injury, Correa was producing in 32 games, hitting .279 with a .787 OPS. Houston would obviously welcome that kind of bat back in the lineup as the season winds down and the postseason picture comes into focus.
The Astros are sitting at 58-56 and hold first place in the American League West. They’re 2.5 games ahead of both the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners, despite what has been an underwhelming overall season. Even so, the standings still have Houston in a postseason spot.
For now, Correa’s rehab remains one of the biggest injury storylines to watch in Houston, and the updates will keep coming as they become available. The Astros, meanwhile, are set to host the Blue Jays on Tuesday night at 8:10 PM EST.
In Other News...
Carlos Correa's Recovery Just Created A New Astros Lineup Question
Carlos Correas rehab has taken a meaningful step forward, and it comes at a time when the Astros cant help but keep one eye on the bigger lineup picture. After season-ending surgery for a left ankle tendon injury, Correa has started light on-field activity, and manager Joe Espada said the shortstop has been cleared by a doctor to begin swinging a bat. For a player whose return this season once seemed off the table, even that kind of progress changes the conversation a little.
Espada also sketched out a patient swing progression for Correa, one that will keep the Astros from rushing anything while they evaluate how his body responds along the way. The early stages are still just about rebuilding rhythm and trust in the ankle, but the fact that this phase has even started has already nudged Houston into a new question: if the rehab keeps advancing, how soon does the club have to start planning for a lineup decision it didnt expect to face? [Read more 🡒]
Jos Altuve May Be Solving A Problem The Astros Needed Fixed
Jos Altuve went through a rough stretch from late June into late July, when the Astros longtime catalyst was being held in check more than usual and the at-bats started looking uncomfortable. The issue was not hard to spot for Houstons staff and opposing pitchers alike: sinkers and changeups were getting him into trouble early in counts, and the contact quality dipped enough that his overall production sagged during those 25 games.
Lately, though, Altuve has started to look more like himself again over his last eight games, and the timing matters for an Astros lineup that could use him setting the tone. The encouraging part for Houston is that the fix appears to be changing how opponents attack him, with pitchers no longer able to lean on the same early-count approach as easily, a sign that his recent adjustment may be addressing more than just a short-term slump. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Still Face The Problem Dana Brown Tried To Sell Away
The Astros made their deadline decisions with the kind of caution that comes from living inside a pennant race, adding outfielder Daulton Varsho while watching pitcher Spencer Arrighetti head out the door. Dana Brown made clear the club explored pitching help, but the market never lined up in a way Houston felt comfortable with, leaving the front office to lean on a healthier rotation path instead of paying the premium prices that were out there.
In Browns view, the real reinforcement was supposed to come from inside the building, with Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski essentially functioning like midseason additions after their returns from injury. Wesneski has given the Astros workable innings, but Blancos early outings since coming back have not provided the stability Houston was counting on, leaving the club still staring at the same pitching question it hoped the deadline would quiet. [Read more 🡒]