Houston Astros fans not sweating the departure of All-Star Carlos Correa, new hotshot at shortstop has them enamored
Carlos Correa's departure from the Houston Astros isn't as big of a deal as people had first thought it would be. Rookie shortstop Jeremy Pena has filled in for Correa quite nicely. Houston fans couldn't be happier with how well Pena has performed this year.
"We don't miss Carlos Correa - that's for sure." said a Houston fan.
"We don’t miss Carlos Correa — that’s for sure."
Story on Jeremy Peña, the Astros’ hotshot rookie, and how he’s stepping out of his predecessor’s shadow. New for @MLBONFOX: foxsports.com/stories/mlb/20…
Carlos Correa signed a three-year deal with the Minnesota Twins before the season started. At $35.1 million annually, it became the highest annual salary for an infielder.
As Correa left for Minnesota, Houston needed to fill their shortstop void. Instead of trying to puzzle the pieces through free agency, they were confident in their farm system.
They called up Jeremy Pena to debut before the season started. He was selected by Houston in the third round of the 2018 MLB draft. He earned All-Star honors during his short time in the minor leagues.
The Astros were certain that Pena could at least hold his own at shortstop, but he has done far more than that. He's had a tremendous season both at the plate and with his glove. His contribution to the team is a big reason as to why the Astros have been so dominant this year.
While his numbers are not eye-popping, he has played like an established veteran this year. His 22 home runs were good enough to rank him 55th throughout all of baseball. He's been a great replacement for Correa, and he is just getting his career started.
He's been rock solid this postseason for Houston at the plate. He's seeing the ball really well, hitting .333 with two home runs so far. The postseason lights don't seem too bright for the rookie.
Jeremy Peña has gotten a hit in all five #Postseason games so far.
His teammate, Yuli Gurriel is the only player in @astros franchise history to hit safely in their first six Postseason games with the club 👀 https://t.co/Uw2dV377IS
Jeremy Pena and the Houston Astros have looked unstoppable throughout the postseason. They're on a mission to win the World Series and are not letting anyone get in their way.
Carlos Correa will be in a different uniform again next year
Carlos Correa is planning on opting out of his contract with the Twins to become a free agent for the 2023 season. He joins a list of elite shortstop free agents like Trea Turner and Xander Bogaerts. It will be interesting to see how teams rank him among the other shortstops in his free agent class.
Will Correa be a top shortstop candidate this offseason or should he stay in Minnesota? We'll have to wait until the 2023 season to find out.