What Astros manager Joe Espada most recently said about Carlos Correa’s injury recovery

The Houston Astros have been without Carlos Correa since early May after placing him on the 60-day IL with a torn tendon in his left ankle. With the club in first place in the AL West, a return to the lineup would be ideal. On Wednesday, manager Joe Espada opened up about what steps Correa is taking to potentially return.

While talking with media members on Wednesday, Espada revealed a positive update for the 31-year-old infielder. He claims Correa will begin swinging the bat soon, work on fielding ground balls, and continue his running progression. Although a return date is still undetermined, Carlos Correa is at least making strides in his injury recovery.

“He’s got good news… We [got] good news from the doctor. He’s gonna start swinging the bat [soon],” Espada said about Correa. “He’s gonna come out here, take some ground balls. He’s gonna continue his running progression. So, he’s doing well. I know he’s been increasing his volume of baseball activity. But looks like he can continue to do more by swinging the bat.”

Joe Espada with an update on Carlos Correa before today's game with Toronto

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Joe Espada admitted that Carlos Correa still needs some time to fully recover. He also stated that the three-time All-Star will begin with dry swings, then will work with swinging off the tee, and go through the necessary progressions. From the sounds of it, Correa is making slow progress.

When healthy, Carlos Correa was switching between shortstop and third base this year. While he continues working his way back from the injury, the Astros will continue relying on Jeremy Pena at shortstop and Isaac Paredes in the hot corner.

The 2015 AL Rookie of the Year was playing rather well this season before sustaining the injury. In 122 at-bats in 2026, Correa has recorded 34 hits, three home runs, and 16 RBIs, giving him a .279 batting average and .369 OBP.

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