Carlos Correa's Ankle Blows Up the Astros' Season at Exactly the Wrong Time

Houston has enough problems right now without losing its captain to a left ankle injury that could sideline him for weeks, maybe months. But that's exactly what happened Tuesday night when Carlos Correa got hurt in the batting cage before the Astros beat the Dodgers 2-1 at Daikin Park. He's meeting with a foot specialist Wednesday morning, but the club is bracing for him to be out indefinitely.

The Timing Couldn't Be Worse

The Astros are already drowning at 15-22 in the AL West. They're supposed to be competing, not treading water with their back against the wall. Losing Correa, who was slashing .279/.369/.418 with three homers and 16 RBIs, hurts on the stat sheet. But the real damage? Correa is the clubhouse glue. He's the guy the team leans on. Christian Walker spelled it out: "Carlos is a cornerstone in this clubhouse. The guys lean on him. We look to him for leadership."

That kind of presence doesn't show up in a box score, but it shows up everywhere else. Without it, Houston is scrambling to stay afloat.

The Injury Snowball Just Keeps Rolling

This isn't Houston's first trip to the injured list carousel. Correa is now the fourth member of the Opening Day lineup to land on the IL. Catcher Yainer Diaz has a left oblique strain. Left fielder Joey Loperfido is out with a right quad strain. Center fielder Jake Meyers suffered a right oblique strain. Add in starting shortstop Jeremy Peña, who's dealing with a right hamstring strain (and was recovering from a fractured finger suffered in the spring), and the Astros are running on fumes.

The one bright spot? Isaac Paredes. Houston tried all winter to trade the third baseman to clear out infield depth. Instead, those trades never materialized, and now Paredes becomes the starter at third base with Peña moving back to shortstop once he returns. Peña should be ready soon, potentially heading out on a Minor League rehab assignment this weekend.

Correa unselfishly made the move to third after being traded from Minnesota last July. He even helped prepare Peña for the shortstop role while Peña was in the minors, and was thrilled to see his understudy named MVP of the ALCS and World Series as a rookie in '22.

For a guy who's dealt with injuries his whole career, Tuesday's ankle injury might be the toughest blow yet. The Astros can't afford to lose their captain for long.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.