Will Carlos Correa Regain His Form Back in Houston?

Carlos Correa is returning to the Houston Astros. 

Correa, who turns 31 in September, was a number draft pick in the nation by the Astros in 2012 and would win AL Rookie of the Year in 2015. Playing shortstop, Correa would earn a World Series with the now maligned 2017 Astros. Despite the controversy, Correa was considered among the elite players in the game. In 2021, Correa led the AL in WAR, finished 5th in AL MVP balloting and earned his lone Gold Glove while hitting .279 with a career high 26 HR along with 92 RBI. 

The Puerto Rican native has spent the past 3½ seasons with the Minnesota Twins after signing with them as a free agent prior to the 2022 season. However, Correa notably opted out of his deal after 2022 and signed a 13-year, $350 million deal with the San Francisco Giants only to have it voided after he failed a physical. The same thing would happen with the New York Mets only weeks later. 

Ultimately, Correa would return to the Twin Cities after his deal was restructured. He signed with the Twins through 2028 with club options from 2029 to 2032. Correa's best season with Minnesota was last year when he earned his third AL All-Star appearance batting a career high .310 albeit limited to 87 games due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot. It didn't help matters that the Twins had a late season collapse to the benefit of the Detroit Tigers. Amid this collapse, Correa blasted his teammates for their lack of hustle only not to run out a groundball himself just days later.

Correa hasn't exactly set baseball afire in 2025. In 90 games, Correa is hitting .267 with 7 HR and 31 RBIs. These are not statistics worthy of a player of his caliber.

It's probably just as well. The Twins aren't going anywhere this year. They enter tonight 12 games back of the Tigers in the AL Central. They were big sellers during today's trade deadline essentially trading away their bullpen along with outfielder Harrison Bader going to the Philadelphia Phillies with first baseman Ty France going to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Perhaps going back to Houston will be a shot in the arm for Correa. With Jeremy Pena ensconced at short, Correa will play third due to a season-ending hamstring injury to Isaac Paredes. The Astros, of course, are a different team than when Correa left it. The only members of the 2017 World Series championship team left are Jose Altuve and Lance McCullers, Jr. At the same time, the Astros are in a familiar place - atop the AL West with a 5-game lead over both the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers.

The Astros begin a long road trip tomorrow which goes through Boston, Miami and onto Yankee Stadium before returning to Houston on August 11th where they will face the Red Sox. Correa will get a very welcome standing ovation.