Astros: Carlos Correa at second base?

Carlos Correa underwent surgery last May to repair a tendon in his left ankle. At the time, everyone thought the injury would end his 2026 season.

The 31-year-old, however, had other plans and has made enough progress to hope for a return to the field by the end of this season. Correa has been spending time at the Astros' facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he has been practicing at the plate, in the field, and on the running trails.

And when Correa officially returns to the Houston Astros, it will pose quite a dilemma for manager Joe Espada.

According to several reports, including those by Ken Rosenthal and Chandler Rome on X, Houston is considering using Correa at second base. Jose Altuve would then move to designated hitter, and Yordan Alvarez would shift to left field.

Something to consider here is Carlos Correa's arm and having him involved in as many cutoffs and outfield relays as possible. That can happen at third base, obviously, but having him up the middle increases his involvement in everything. https://t.co/CuJL7wwHkE

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) September 12, 2026

This would give the Astros another lineup configuration that keeps the team's top hitters in key offensive roles as they push toward the playoffs.

Correa started the season at third base, with Jeremy Pena at shortstop and Altuve at second base. Houston had tried moving Altuve to left field in 2025, but that didn't work out, and he's now back at his natural position.

Isaac Paredes took over at third base after Correa's injury and has since become one of the Astros' most productive hitters in the lineup. He's not expected to move from there.

Of course, this is just speculation, and it wouldn't necessarily be the everyday lineup, but it would help put the team's best players on the field and at the plate.

The Astros could then have some flexibility depending on matchups and the health of their players. Correa could sometimes play third base, then second base in other situations, while shifting Altuve and Alvarez accordingly.

To say the least, this is a nice problem to have.

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