The Houston Astros had a busy trade deadline as they prepared for the home stretch. Entering Saturday’s game with the New York Yankees, the Astros sit in first place with a 65-51 record and have an excellent chance to make it to October and return to the American League Championship Series for the eighth time in the past nine seasons.
While the Astros made sound decisions to trade for Ramón Urías and Jesús Sánchez, the biggest move they made at the deadline is giving them zero regrets as they head toward the postseason.
Carlos Correa’s Return Has Been Worth it for Astros' Playoff Push
The Astros’ biggest headline at the deadline was the return of Carlos Correa. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, team owner Jim Crane essentially made a power play to help bring the player Houston took No. 1 overall in the 2012 draft back to the Astros but the move didn’t come without some risk.
Correa looked like a shell of himself with the Minnesota Twins in his third year of a six-year, $200 million contract. While he produced a .267/.319/.386 batter’s line with seven home runs and 31 RBI with the Twins, the 30-year-old’s defense was eroding, posting a minus-11 in defensive runs saved in 91 games at shortstop this season.
After the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets nixed a pair of mega-deals this offseason, there was a sense that those doctors knew what they were talking about when Correa failed both physicals due to concerns over his lower legs. But whether it was a move to third base or just getting back in a familiar environment, Correa has found the fountain of youth in Houston.
Correa has locked in at the plate after returning to the Astros, hitting .370/.455/.552 with a home run and four RBI over seven games. His defense has also come around at his new position, breaking even in defensive runs saved since making the switch.
Perhaps Correa was tired of being in a dysfunctional franchise that’s currently up for sale. Or the overall environment needed to be blown up for a Twins core that is on track to miss the playoffs for the fourth time in the past five seasons. But even if Houston only has a 3-4 record since Correa’s arrival, the short-term gains should be enough to push aside any long-term concerns.
That means Correa should have a bigger role on a team that should get Yordan Alvarez back this month. With All-Star shortstop Jeremy Peña also back in the lineup, the big move at the deadline should help Houston make a push toward the postseason.