HOUSTON — Houston Astros manager Joe Espada confirmed to reporters on Tuesday that shortstop Carlos Correa will not return this season due to a torn tendon in his left ankle. The update ends a brief push for a late return as Houston sits at 75-75 with a one-game lead over the Texas Rangers in the AL West.
Correa has been sidelined since the beginning of May after suffering the injury in a freak batting practice accident. The tear was initially expected to sideline him for the remainder of the season, but in early August Espada said Correa had been cleared to resume swinging a bat and was expected to go out on a rehab assignment with a chance to return before the postseason. He had been cleared for swinging and had begun taking ground balls at second base as Houston explored ways to get him back into the lineup alongside Jeremy Pena at shortstop and Isaac Paredes at third, both of Correa's typical positions.
Espada reiterated that Correa has not suffered a setback or another injury. Instead, the manager said the "daily workload" and the "recovery" became too much for the veteran shortstop. Before the injury, the 31-year-old played in 32 games for Houston, slashing .279/.369/.418 with three home runs and 16 RBI.
Correa is currently playing under a six-year, $200 million deal signed with the Minnesota Twins, who traded him back to Houston ahead of the 2025 trade deadline. The Astros have two more years of Correa on their books, plus four club options it can choose to pick up between 2029 and 2032. Correa has a history of ankle injuries — two free-agent mega deals with the San Francisco Giants and the New York Mets fell through due to concerns about his right ankle — though this torn tendon is in his left ankle. He will now turn his attention to getting fully healthy for the 2027 season.