HOUSTON -- Astros third baseman Carlos Correa cleared another major hurdle in his effort to try to return to the field following the ankle surgery he had in May, saying Tuesday he was headed to the team’s Spring Training facility in West Palm Beach, Fla., this weekend to ramp up his rehab activities.
Correa received the good news from a team doctor at his four-month checkup from the peroneus brevis tendon repair surgery that was performed on his left ankle on May 11. He was cleared to swing the bat about a month ago and is now running at 95 percent intensity. Correa has also been fielding ground balls at third base and hitting off a pitching machine.
“I'm going to go to Florida now and get more intense, and we're gonna progress to running bases and all that,” he said. “And then from there, we go. This is a real final test.”
The Astros have 24 games remaining, so it’s becoming more realistic he could return to the club in the final two weeks or so of the season. Houston had a two-game lead in the American League West division over the Rangers entering Tuesday.
“From the moment I had the surgery, my plan has always been to try to get back and play this year,” Correa said. “Now that we're gonna ramp up for real, and see how the foot's gonna respond, this will be the real test for us to see if we can come back and play.”
Correa said he took ground balls at third base on four different days last week while the club was on the road. Manager Joe Espada said if Correa is able to return to the field this year, he would do so as the team’s third baseman -- a position currently held down by Isaac Paredes.
Paredes could play second base, pushing Jose Altuve to designated hitter or even back to left field, or spell Christian Walker at first base. Designated hitter Yordan Alvarez started consecutive games in left field on Saturday and Sunday in New York for the first time this year. He could wind up playing more left field if Correa returns in an effort to accommodate Altuve, Walker and Paredes at DH.
“I don't think I'm a better DH than Yordan,” Correa joked.
While in Florida, Correa will be able to play in “bridge” games, which are games that bridge the gap between the Florida Complex League and the fall instructional league. The games will provide Correa a chance to work on change of direction, touching the bases while running, sliding and diving.
“It’s going to be adjusting to certain pitches, hitting the brakes on that front foot,” Correa said. “Florida will tell us a lot.”
Correa, who was reacquired by the Astros at the 2025 Trade Deadline from the Twins, was slashing .279/.369/.418 with three homers and 16 RBIs in 32 games before he was injured while swinging in the batting cages. He slashed .290/.355/.430 with six homers and 21 RBIs in 51 games for the Astros in 2025 after the Deadline move.
He was the No. 1 overall pick by Houston in the 2012 MLB Draft out of Puerto Rico and blossomed into a star and a franchise icon in Houston, leading the Astros to six trips to the playoffs, including three American League pennants and the 2017 World Series championship.
Correa signed with the Twins after the 2021 season -- a season in which he won a Gold Glove and finished fifth in AL MVP voting -- but had waived his no-trade clause to return to Houston, where he makes his home.