Tuesday was an emotional night for the Houston Astros. Their season had come to an end with a thud, the Atlanta Braves celebrating a championship at Minute Maid Park. What had been an impressive season had come to an end in a disappointing manner.
The 2021 season is not the only thing that came to an end. Based on his comments, Astros shortstop Carlos Correa is as good as gone, ready to head elsewhere to continue his career.
Correa on his message to the fans: “To the fans, I want to say thank you for your support. My time here was amazing. … I got here as a boy and turned into a man.”
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) November 3, 2021
Carlos Correa ready to leave Houston Astros behind
Correa’s wording sends a message. He had previously indicated that he was displeased with the Astros’ extension offers, essentially saying that he was ready to play out the 2021 season before heading to greener pastures and a larger bank account balance.
There is no question that Correa will be a significant loss for the Astros. He had produced an excellent .279/.366/.485 batting line in his 640 plate appearances, hitting 26 homers and 34 doubles. Defensively, he saved 21 runs at short, his glove just as valuable as his bat.
But Correa is not a given. He has battled injuries through most of his career, limiting his impact on the game. There is no question that Correa is a supremely talented player who can make a major difference, but he has to be on the diamond in order for that to happen.
That is what the Astros had to weigh as they made their extension offer to Correa. Ultimately, it was not enough, and as he was healthy in 2021, he stands to make far more in free agency. And he will be able to leave Houston behind, something that he has wanted to do seemingly for some time.
Carlos Correa went out of his way to talk about his time with the Houston Astros in the past tense on Tuesday. He is as good as gone.