Astros Reportedly 'Exploring the Possibility' of Trading for Carlos Correa

The Houston Astros appear to be eyeing a splash before the trade deadline.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, that splash could be a reunion with their former superstar shortstop Carlos Correa.

The insider reported, "the Astros, a high-ranking executive told USA TODAY Sports, are exploring the possibility of acquiring Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa ..."

This would be a seismic move by the franchise.

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While Correa has not been the same player since he left the Astros after the 2021 season, bringing the 2012 No. 1 overall pick back would likely be a popular move with the fanbase.

As far as his play on the field goes, it appears like Houston would move him to third base to backfill the opening left by Isaac Paredes, whom team officials fear will miss the rest of the year with his hamstring injury.

Correa has never played the hot corner before, appearing in 1,192 of his 1,199 career Major League games at shortstop. But with Jeremy Pena in the midst of a career regular season and the future of the franchise at that position, moving the veteran infielder over appears to be the preferred course of action.

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Injuries are something the Astros will have to worry about with Correa, though.

He's dealt with plantar fasciitis in both feet and an oblique strain during his time with the Twins, and even though he's remained relatively healthy this year outside of the concussion he's suffered, his performance has taken a drastic hit.

Through 92 games, Correa is slashing .265/.317/.384 with just seven homers and 31 RBI, putting up OPS+ and wRC+ figures of 92 and 97, respectively, which are both under the league average.

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Still, Houston seems to believe they will have a opening at third base, and a reunion with Correa could be how they solve it.

This would be a major investment for the Astros, too, with their former face of the franchise set to get paid roughly $96 million from 2026-28, with vesting options ranging from $25-$10 million per year until he hits free agency after the 2032 season.

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