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Sep 3, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros players including third baseman Carlos Correa (1) and shortstop Jeremy Pena (3) celebrate after the game against the New York Yankees at Daikin Park. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Persistent Injuries to Astros' Infield Caused Disruption for Key Shortstops

Originally posted on Houston Astros on SI
By Maria Aldrich | Last updated Oct 8, 2025 9:00 AM ET

In a season filled with a series of unfortunate injuries, the Houston Astros were consistently put to the test. A postseason appearance wasn't in the cards this year, but cutting their time short could have been for the better, as it allows the franchise more time to rest, recover and come up with a game plan moving forward.

Now is the time for eliminated teams to reflect on how their seasons unfolded. Considering how much movement the Astros had around the diamond this year, it's impressive that they managed to hold the helm at No. 1 in the American League West standings for as long as they did. If it weren't for their flexibility and ongoing resiliency, this would not have been possible.

Their infield, in particular, had a substantial amount of movement during the regular season. Their list of available players dwindled quickly, forcing manager Joe Espada to plug the gaps as quickly as possible. One of the several positions to be impacted was shortstop.

Jeremy Peña’s Season Disrupted by Injury

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Jeremy Peña's last regular-season appearance was on Sept. 20, when Houston faced the Seattle Mariners, which resulted in Peña being plagued by injury once again. Earlier this year, he suffered a rib fracture after being hit by a pitch in June. In between his injuries, he posted solid numbers and ended the season with a .304/.363/.477 slash line with 17 home runs and 62 RBIs. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, he has had a positive impact on the franchise this year.

Carlos Correa's Infield Transformation

Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

When it was announced that shortstop Carlos Correa would be returning to Houston after spending the past few years with the Minnesota Twins, Astros fans were hoping that his return would be a turning point for the franchise.

Upon his return, Correa had started transitioning from shortstop to the third base position. Per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, as he started making the move, he stated, "The last two years, I've been thinking about potentially moving to third and how it would be better for my body and my longevity, and I'm glad it's happening here."

With third baseman Isaac Paredes out of commission for over a month, this transition was quite natural. However, Correa didn't completely end his time at shortstop. In fact, he bounced around the diamond quite a bit. By the time he finished off the season, he was slashing .276/.332/.402 with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs.

Brice Matthews Called Up in July

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Astros' top prospect Brice Matthews made his MLB debut on July 11 when Houston called him up from Triple-A Sugar Land to start plugging some holes within the infield.

Matthews has been a pleasant surprise this season, and manager Joe Espada has expressed the utmost confidence in his developing player. The 23-year-old played for most of July before being optioned back to Triple-A. However, he returned to help wrap up the campaign on Sept. 27 and 28 when the Astros faced the Los Angeles Angels for their season finale. Overall, Matthews slashed .167/.222/.452 with four home runs and 9 RBIs.

"I think he has the potential to be an everyday player and right now, in the position we are in, we just need some versatility, someone that can come off the bench I can plug in," Espada stated, according to McTaggart. "Right now, the best thing for him is to continue to get at-bats in Triple-A and continue his progress. He's doing a really good job. I'm really excited about Brice Matthews."