The Houston Astros currently have a five-game lead over the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers in the American League West. At 62-47, they have the third-best record in the Junior Circuit.
They have some needs to fill with just under two hours to go before the trade deadline passes. They have been hunting for bats.
They need arms as well, but General Manager Dana Brown has prioritized offense for Houston rather than pitching. It remains to be seen if they will add pitching.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, they are reuniting with a fan favorite and key member of the 2017 World Series championship team.
"The Minnesota Twins are trading shortstop Carlos Correa to the Houston Astros, sources tell ESPN."
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The Astros won their first World Series title in 2017, and Correa was the team's starting shortstop. He was with Houston from 2015-21.
Prior to the 2022 season, the veteran shortstop signed a deal with the Minnesota Twins. After opting out, he re-signed with Minnesota on a six-year, $200 million contract.
The 30-year-old is hitting .267/.319/.386 with seven home runs, 31 RBI and a .704 OPS. Minnesota is selling aggressively at this year's deadline.
Now back in Houston, Correa will have a chance to compete for a World Series title, as the Astros are near the top of the AL. When Jeremy Pena comes back, one of the two will have to move to a different position.
But Correa brings solid veteran leadership to the team. We'll see what else the Astros accomplish in the next few hours.
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