Carlos Correa clears the air about Astros' last-ditch effort to re-sign him

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Carlos Correa clears the air about Astros' last-ditch effort to re-sign him
The Astros didn't make another offer. Composite image by Jack Brame.

ESPN's Marly Rivera caught up with former Astros SS Carlos Correa on Wednesday and asked him about signing with the Twins and what happened with the Astros. Correa told Rivera that he has "nothing but love" for the Astros and their organization. But he also said the Astros never made him an offer post-lockout. Wow. Really, Astros?

Apparently there was no effort made by the Astros to re-sign Correa in recent weeks, in contrast to what was heavily reported. If Correa is telling the truth, and I believe he is, then all the noise about the Astros making Correa another offer were false.

It certainly sounds like the reports about the Astros sending Correa a revised contract offer were bogus, and possibly coming from Correa's agent, Scott Boras. And this makes so much sense on every level. If Boras was trying to get every penny he could for Correa, using the Astros as leverage is just good business. Unfortunately, Astros fans got their hopes up for nothing.

Plus, it makes the tweet from ESPN Houston's John Granato's look even more accurate. The Astros made their final offer before the lockout and that was that. Correa preferred the offer from Minnesota, and he took it. This also explains why Jim Crane might have been a little put off. With all these false reports floating around, Crane had to have thought they were coming from Correa's camp in an effort to get Carlos more money elsewhere.

Baseball is a business. Period.

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The Astros beat the Cubs, 7-4. Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images.

Cam Smith hit a three-run homer in his first game against the Cubs since being traded to Houston and Brandon Walter threw six solid innings in his first MLB victory as the Astros beat Chicago 7-4 on Friday night.

Yainer Diaz added a three-run homer as AL West-leading Houston extended its winning streak to five games.

The Astros scored four runs in the third off Cubs starter Cade Horton (3-2), with Jose Altuve scoring on a sacrifice fly by Victor Caratini before Diaz capped the inning with his 377-foot shot to left-center.

Smith, a first-round draft selection by Chicago last year was acquired by the Astros in the offseason as part of the deal for Kyle Tucker, extended Houston’s lead to 7-0 in the fourth with his home run off the left field façade, his sixth of the season. Smith had two hits and scored two runs.

Walter (1-1), a 28-year-old left-hander, allowed one run on four hits with five strikeouts. Josh Hader got the final out for his 22nd save.

Jeremy Peña exited in the fifth with left rib soreness. He was hit by a pitch in his left side in the second. There was no immediate word on the extent of his injury.

Nico Hoerner hit a solo home run in the fifth, and Matt Shaw added a two-run double in the seventh and an RBI double in the ninth for NL Central-leading Chicago.

Horton allowed seven runs on eight hits with four walks in four innings.

Tucker was hitless in his return to Houston. He kept the game scoreless in the first, throwing Isaac Paredes out at the plate to end the frame.

Key moment

Hader inducing a lineout to center by Ian Happ to end it with Tucker, representing the tying run, on deck.

Key stat

Houston has its second five-game winning streak for the month of June, and improved to an MLB-best 18-6 this month.

Up next

Cubs RHP Colin Rea (4-3, 4.42 ERA) starts the second game of the three-game series Saturday. Houston has not named a starter.

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