How Astros' shocking deadline positions them in division, postseason push
DEADLINE SHOCKER
01 August
Carlos Correa is officially back! Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images.
Carlos Correa is returning to Houston, giving the Astros a needed jolt for their infield with a stunning trade from the Minnesota Twins ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, according to a person with direct knowledge of the deal.
Correa spent his first seven years in Houston, where he became one of the most beloved players in franchise history, helping the team to six playoff appearances, three American League pennants and its first World Series title in 2017 — a championship tainted by a sign-stealing scandal. The top pick in the 2012 amateur draft and 2015 AL Rookie of the Year was part of the homegrown core that helped the Astros go from the league’s laughingstock to perennial contenders.
Correa, who waived his no-trade clause, has exclusively played shortstop in his 11-year major league career but will almost certainly move to third base for the AL West leaders with shortstop Jeremy Peña close to returning from the injured list. The Astros need help at third with All-Star Isaac Paredes out indefinitely with a hamstring injury.
Charismatic and an unquestioned leader in the clubhouse, Correa could help galvanize a team that has managed to remain atop the division standings despite dealing with multiple injuries to both its lineup and pitching staff.
Correa reunites with second baseman Jose Altuve, who is the Astros’ longest tenured player and one of his closest friends on the team. When asked about the possibility of Correa returning to Houston on Wednesday, Altuve raved about him before saying: “So I think — if anything (were) to happen, I hope it’s the best for him and for us.”
The 30-year-old Correa was named to two of his three All-Star Games while with the Astros and won a Gold Glove Award in 2021. He seemed to embrace the villain role when Houston became the league’s most hated team after it was revealed the Astros illegally stole signs in their run to the 2017 title and during the 2018 season.
He left when he became a free agent before the 2022 season when the Astros wouldn’t pay him what he believed he was worth, signing a three-year deal worth just over $105 million. Correa opted out of that contract after one year but re-signed with the Twins on a six-year, $200 million deal, of which just under $100 million is still owed. The contract also includes vesting options for the 2029-2032 seasons.
While Correa’s defense at shortstop has been impeccable and his leadership in the clubhouse strong, the investment for the Twins simply hasn’t panned out. He played the 2023 season through plantar fasciitis in his left foot, batting just .230 with 131 strikeouts in 135 games and a pedestrian .711 OPS.
He shined in the playoffs, helping the Twins end a record 18-game postseason losing streak and win a series for the first time in 21 years, and was enjoying an All-Star season in 2024 before plantar fasciitis popped up again – this time in his right foot. He had to withdraw from the All-Star Game and didn’t return until mid-September, after the Twins were already mired in a sharp swoon that pushed them out of playoff contention.
Correa has been much healthier this year, but not as productive. His .905 OPS in 2024 has fallen to .704 this year, with seven home runs in 93 games.
The contract he signed 2 1/2 years ago now constitutes a much larger percentage of the team’s payroll, after a sharp decline in regional television revenue in light of the bankruptcy of Diamond Sports Group prompted a spending reduction by Twins ownership. The Pohlad family has since put the club up for sale.
What this deal really means for Houston!
Don't miss the video below as we react to the Correa news and discuss how these additions impact Houston in the short and long term. Do these moves make the Astros favorites to win the World Series? We wouldn't rule it out!
Plus, we share our thoughts on what Ramon Urias and Jesus Sanchez will provide after being traded to Houston!
The MLB season is approaching the homestretch! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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Astros set for electric homestand with familiar faces returning
Aug 11, 2025, 2:08 pm
The Astros kick off a thrilling homestand Monday night with a showdown that’s as much about star power as it is about the standings. Houston welcomes the Boston Red Sox for the first of a three-game series, but all eyes will be on two familiar faces stepping back into Daikin Park under wildly different yet equally electric circumstances.
Alex Bregman returns to Houston for the first time since joining the Red Sox, while Carlos Correa makes his much-anticipated debut in front of Astros fans since coming back home.
Correa’s reappearance in an Astros uniform still feels surreal. A year ago, the thought of him hitting in the heart of Houston’s order again seemed impossible. Now, paired once more with Jose Altuve, the Astros’ longtime shortstop is right back where he built his legacy, and perhaps even more dangerous than before.
Guess who else is returning?
There’s another reunion of sorts on the mound. Cristian Javier, who hasn’t pitched in a game this season, makes his long-awaited return, facing one of baseball’s hottest teams. Javier will have to contend with a Boston lineup powered by Wilyer Abreu’s 21 homers and the recent surge of Jarren Duran.
The Astros enter at 66-52, holding a slim lead atop the AL West and boasting the second-best batting average in the league at .258. Jeremy Peña continues to pace the lineup at .315, while Altuve has been scorching over the past 10 games, hitting .390 with four homers.
Boston, 65-54 and chasing the AL East crown, has been just as dangerous, riding a 7-3 stretch with a 3.10 ERA and plenty of timely hitting.
Monday’s opener pairs Javier against left-hander Garrett Crochet, who’s been one of baseball’s toughest arms this year with a 2.24 ERA and 183 strikeouts. With star power returning, playoff positioning at stake, and Correa back where he once ruled, this series could have October energy before the calendar even flips to September.
Astros vs. Crochet
Pena is leading off and playing shortstop, with Correa in the 2-hole and playing third base. Altuve will DH and hit third again, with Christian Walker batting cleanup and playing first base.
Big show tonight.
⚾️: 7:10 PM
🏟️: Closed
📺: @SpaceCityHN | SCHN2
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3 FM#TheNextFrontier x @reliantenergy pic.twitter.com/tfly0FBgOD
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 11, 2025
Yainer Diaz will catch Javier and hit fifth, followed by Ramon Urias (2B), Mauricio Dubon (LF), Chas McCormick (CF), and Cam Smith (RF).
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