Carlos Correa, the 12-year veteran whose 2026 season was believed finished after he tore a tendon in his left ankle back on May 6, is reportedly making a comeback that could shake up the American League West. The wild part? The Houston Astros are apparently ready to slot him in at second base, a position he’s never played in his MLB career.
Correa’s Comeback: From Season Over to Second Base?
Man, talk about a surprise! After needing surgery for that torn ankle tendon, everyone thought Correa was done for 2026. But according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the guy is progressing unbelievably well. He even ran the bases earlier this week! The plan is for Correa, who turns 32 on September 22, to take around 10 at-bats in live batting practice down at the Astros’ spring-training complex in West Palm Beach, Florida. If he clears that hurdle with no setbacks, he’s off to Triple-A Sugar Land for a minor-league rehab assignment next week. This season, in just 32 games, Correa was hitting .279/.369/.418 with 3 homers, 8 doubles, and 16 RBI, playing 23 games at shortstop and 14 at third base. Getting that bat back would be huge for them.
Altuve’s Defensive Nightmare Unlocks a Wild Lineup Shuffle
So why the sudden shift for a guy who’s been taking ground balls at third base during rehab and has a manager, Joe Espada, on record saying he’d play third upon return? Here’s the kicker: The Astros reportedly think their best defensive lineup includes Correa at second. And honestly, looking at Jose Altuve’s defensive numbers, you can kinda see why. After a stint at left field last season, Altuve is back at second, where he’s spent most of his 16 major-league seasons. But it’s been rough. Advanced metrics have Altuve sitting dead last among MLB second basemen with at least 840 innings played, racking up -17 Defensive Runs Saved and -11 Outs Above Average. Yikes!
They’re cooking up a couple of scenarios. One has Correa at second, Jeremy Peña at shortstop, Isaac Paredes at third, Christian Walker at first, Yordan Alvarez in left, and Altuve as DH. Another option could slide Alvarez to DH, Paredes to first, Altuve back to second, and Correa to third, which would bench Walker. Speaking of Alvarez, he’s been out with a sore right ankle, missing Friday’s 3-1 loss to the Rays and Saturday’s lineup. This team’s health is definitely something to watch.
The Stakes are Real as Astros Head into Final Stretch
With just 14 games left in the regular season, including Saturday, the Astros are sitting at 75-73. They’ve got a three-game lead over the Texas Rangers for first place in the American League West. Bringing Correa back, even in a new spot, is a big gamble, but they clearly need to shore up that defense. And guess what? If Correa gets activated during the final week, the Astros are coming to the Emerald City! They’ve got two games scheduled at Seattle before finishing their season with four games at Sacramento. This could get spicy!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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