Carlos Correa he is believed to have a serious left ankle injury, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. He will see a podiatrist tomorrow to shorten the diagnosis and recovery timeline. McTaggart writes that he will be out permanently and could miss weeks or possibly months.
Correa suffered the injury while taking batting practice before Tuesday’s game against the Dodgers. The Astros scratched him, moving Nick Allen from third base to shortstop while drafting a utility infielder Braden Shewmake in the hot corner list. Shewmake was forced to hit the treadmill alone Shohei Ohtani that proved to be the difference in Houston’s 2-1 victory.
It was the second day in a row that the Astros lost a key player during pregame practice. A hunter Yainer Diaz strained his oblique while warming up on Monday and will miss some time. He went on the injured list Tuesday morning.
The Astros will likely provide more information on Correa within the next few days. The three-time All-Star has dealt with injuries to both feet over the past few years. Plantar fasciitis and muscle stiffness in his left foot plagued him in 2023. He missed much of the second half of the ’24 season with plantar fasciitis in his right foot.
Injury concerns derailed two of Correa’s deals in his 2022-23 free agent campaign: both a $350MM deal with the Giants and a subsequent $315MM deal with the Mets. Both were related to the team’s medical staff having concerns about Correa’s on the right ankle, not the one he injured tonight.
That’s little consolation for a Houston team dealing with another significant injury. Correa becomes their fourth regular player – alongside Diaz, Jeremy Peña again Jake Meyers – on the injured list. And without starting the jars Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier again Tatsuya Imai once close Josh Hader.
Peña, sidelined since April 12 with a right hamstring strain, may begin a minor league rehab assignment this week. Correa was the regular shortstop in his absence. Allen, a soft-hitting defensive specialist, will hold the position for now. Losing Correa means the Astros will be stuck Isaac Paredes as an everyday third baseman. Christian Walker enjoys a refreshing season at the beginning, while Jordan Alvarez especially for the designated hitter.
The infield depth, at least once Peña returns, is the only silver lining. Houston tried unsuccessfully to move Paredes or Walker in the offseason to ease the logjam, but they haven’t really been healthy all season. Even before the hamstring injury, Peña had suffered a broken finger on his right hand during the World Baseball Classic.
Houston reacquired Correa from the Twins last summer, picking up just over $70MM over the remaining three years of his contract. He hit .290/.355/.430 over 51 games and is hitting .279/.369/.418 this season. While he’s not a top power threat, Correa remains an above-average hitter and a quality defender at any position on the left side of the infield when healthy.
