Fans of the Houston Astros that are hoping for a reunion with Carlos Correa may end up disappointed, at least according to the now-Minnesota Twins shortstop.
Correa opened up about rumors of him going back to Houston, where he helped the Astros win the 2017 World Series, and threw cold water on any chance of a deal before the MLB Trade Deadline on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET.
Correa is in his fourth season with the Twins, and in the third year of a six-year, $200 million contract he signed with the Twins after the 2022 season. He is slashing .267/.319/.386 with seven homers, 31 RBIs, 40 runs scored and a 0.1 bWAR in 93 games for the Twins.
Minnesota is 51-57 and mired in fourth place in the American League Central, sitting 12 games behind the first-place Detroit Tigers.
The Twins are six games back of the Seattle Mariners for the third wild-card spot in the AL, and already started their sell-off by dealing closer Jhoan Duran to the Philadelphia Phillies for starting pitcher Mick Abel and catcher prospect Eduardo Tait.
The Astros, of course, lead the AL West by five games over the Mariners, who reportedly traded for third baseman Eugenio Suarez from the Arizona Diamondbacks late Wednesday night.
What Did Carlos Correa Say About A Deal To Houston?
Correa sat out the Twins’ 13-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday afternoon, which fanned speculation of him potentially being traded — especially after reports indicated he would waive his no-trade clause to go back to Houston.
However, it was later reported he missed the game with a migraine. After the game, Correa addressed the press and discussed the potential for his return to Houston.
“That’s not something that’s, I don’t think, serious right now,” Correa said, according to The Associated Press. “We’ll see where everything goes, but my goal has always been to be here and win here.”
The Twins are on the verge of missing the playoffs for the second straight season, and aside from trading Duran they have also dealt starting pitcher Chris Paddack to the Tigers this week.
Still, Correa, who was the 2017 AL Rookie of the Year when Houston won its first World Series in franchise history — in seven games over the Los Angeles Dodgers — is focused on keeping his young teammates focused amid the distraction-laden trade deadline time.
“I’ve been having a lot of conversation with players and just try to keep them focused on the things that they can control and the daily work that we do here, to go out there and try to win games and whatever happens happens,” Correa said.
What Have The Astros Said About Carlos Correa?
The intriguing thing about the Correa-to-Houston rumors is the Astros could use an infield upgrade — though maybe not at Correa’s current $33.3 luxury-tax rate.
Still, everyday infielder Isaac Paredes is likely to miss the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury, which could open a Correa-filled spot, if Houston were willing to go that route — though reports indicated Houston acquired infielder Ramon Urias from the Baltimore Orioles late Wednesday.
Still, face-of-the-franchise Jose Altuve spoke glowingly of Correa and would welcome him back with open arms.
“Correa’s a guy with a lot of history here in Houston,” Altuve said, according to the AP. “He’s a great player, great human being, great teammate. So I think — if anything [were] to happen, I hope it’s the best for him and for us.”
Former Astros Star Pushes Back On Trade Rumors: ‘Not Serious Right Now’