The Houston Astros lost shortstop Carlos Correa for the remainder of the season after he tore a tendon in his left ankle during batting practice Wednesday before their game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Correa felt a “pop” in his ankle while swinging and will need surgery with a 6-8 month recovery timeline. It’s the same ankle that caused the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants to walk away from massive contract offers during the 2022-23 offseason.
The injury validates what looked like overly cautious medical decisions at the time.
Both teams had $300 million deals on the table before their physicals uncovered concerns about Correa’s left ankle. The Giants backed out first, then the Mets followed suit after their own medical evaluation raised red flags.
Fans and analysts questioned those decisions back then. Seems pretty prescient now.
The Minnesota Twins stepped in with a six-year, $200 million contract that included injury protections. They traded Correa to Houston before this season, sending along $33 million to cover most of his remaining $104 million on the deal.
Correa was hitting .279 with three home runs and 16 RBIs this season for the Astros, who acquired him to bolster their infield depth. Now they’re without their veteran shortstop for what could be a playoff push.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Houston, but it’s hard not to think about those front offices that walked away from Correa’s medicals two years ago. Their doctors saw something that’s now requiring major surgery.
It’s a reminder that sometimes the most criticized decisions end up being the smartest ones. The Mets and Giants took heat for being overly cautious, but they may have dodged a $300 million bullet.
