HOUSTON – Speaking publicly for the first time since it was announced this week he would not be playing again in 2026, Carlos Correa on Friday said the tendon in his surgically repaired left ankle had not matured enough for him to continue his ramp-up efforts to return to the field as the Astros make a postseason push.
For roughly 10 days this month, Correa worked out at Houston’s Spring Training facility in West Palm Beach, Fla., in the hopes of returning to game action. The third baseman even hoped to be present with the team when it played a three-game series in St. Petersburg from Sept. 11-13.
On Friday, he was at Daikin Park, where the Astros, who hold a one-game lead over the Rangers in the American League West, prepared to play the Braves in their final home series of the regular season.
“We ramped it up and got to the point where we hit live BPs, ran the bases and everything,” Correa said. “Had a great live BP to the point where I was asking if I could join the team in [St. Petersburg]. [The doctor] said, 'Let’s see how you feel when you wake up tomorrow.' I had two or three days where I was really sore after that. I got an MRI, and the doctor said the tendon wasn’t mature enough.
“He told me he didn’t feel comfortable with me pushing to play four or five games at the end of the season, and then playoffs and sacrifice the beginning of next year since I’ve already lost so much time this year. He said it’s better for me to let the tendon mature and get to where we need it to be in order to be 100 percent for next year.”
Correa, who will turn 32 on Tuesday, had surgery on May 11 after injuring the ankle while swinging in the batting cages. He finishes the season with a .279/.369/.418 slash line, three home runs and 16 RBIs in 32 games.
Correa said that from the moment he took the boot off his left foot, he intended to work his way back this season “and be with the boys again.” But before he could progress to sliding into bases and making diving plays, he had the MRI, and his doctor told Correa he did not feel comfortable with the infielder taking this season’s comeback effort any further.
“That news was obviously not what I wanted to hear,” Correa said, “but I can go to sleep at night knowing that I tried my best and gave everything I had. And if it was not God’s plan for me to play this year, I will accept that and move on and be ready for next year.”
Still dealing with inflammation and “a lot of soreness,” Correa said he will not hit for the next month and will limit himself to lateral motion, doing no change-of-direction work or anything that would make him turn his foot over. Doctor’s orders, you could say.
“He thinks I’ll be 100 percent in two months, letting the tendon heal,” Correa said. “He said that when we get our next MRI in two months, it should be absolutely perfect.”
While there was talk Correa might play second base if able to return, he said he was not asked to play there while trying to come back. But he didn’t shoot down anything when it comes to next season.
“I’m ready to play third, second, short, first – wherever they need me, I’ll be ready. Whatever the needs of the team are,” he said. “I know I can adapt to be a really great defender at any base. I just want to be in the lineup.”