Carlos Correa took a step toward a return this season, as Astros manager Joe Espada announced the shortstop has been cleared to resume swinging a bat, more than three months after a torn tendon in his left ankle shut him down in early May.
The update marks progress for a player that the Astros drafted No. 1 overall in 2012 and who returned to Houston in 2025 after four seasons away, a homecoming that reunited him with the organization he helped win a World Series with in 2017.
Before the injury, Correa was hitting .279 with a .369 on-base percentage and a .418 slugging percentage, adding three home runs and 16 RBIs in 32 games.
He initially was told he would need six to eight months to recover following the injury, a timeline that appeared to keep him out for the rest of the 2026 season.
Surprisingly, the injury did not affect the club too much, as they own a 59-56 record with a 2 1/2 game lead in the American League West after making additions at the trade deadline, positioning themselves for a potential postseason run.
Correa will begin with dry swings before moving any further, an early but important step in any attempt to return before the end of the season. No firm timetable has been set yet, and Espada did not say if or when Correa might rejoin the lineup.
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Still, the update gives Houston something it hasn't had in months, a path for the club's captain. If Correa's swing progresses without any setbacks, the Astros could get back one of their more consistent infielders near the end of the season, when they're trying to hold off the rest of the AL West.
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