Carlos Correa’s attempt to return to the Astros this season has taken another significant step, with the team hoping to get him into minor-league games as soon as this week.
Manager Joe Espada said Sunday that the Astros would like Correa to play “a game or two” for Triple-A Sugar Land before the Space Cowboys’ season ends Sunday. Correa is scheduled to see a doctor in Houston this week before the Astros determine his next step.
Correa Continues to Clear Hurdles
Correa took live batting practice over the weekend at the Astros’ facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, facing live pitching for the first time since undergoing surgery in May. He also ran the bases and fielded ground balls as the Astros continued to increase his workload.
Sliding remains one of the hurdles Correa must clear before returning to game action. The Astros also want to see how his ankle responds to playing multiple innings before determining whether he is ready to return to the major-league roster.
Correa underwent surgery in May to repair a torn peroneus brevis tendon in his left ankle and was initially expected to miss the remainder of the season. By early September, however, he had progressed enough that a late-season return had become a realistic possibility.
Return Could Come During Final Homestand
The Astros have not announced a date for Correa’s activation. But if he is cleared by doctors and can get into one or two games with Sugar Land this week, a return during Houston’s final homestand is increasingly possible.
Where Correa would play remains another question. The Astros are considering using him at second base, which could allow Jeremy Peña to remain at shortstop and Isaac Paredes at third while moving Jose Altuve to designated hitter when Yordan Alvarez plays left field. Correa has never played second base in the majors, although he took ground balls there Saturday while rehabbing in Florida.
For an Astros club that has fallen back to .500 and watched its AL West lead shrink to one game, getting Correa back for even the final portion of the regular season could provide a badly needed boost.
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