HOUSTON -- Since the All-Star break, the Houston Astros (66-36) are 2-1 and find themselves still atop the AL West by five games over the Seattle Mariners. In fact only the Boston Red Sox (71-31) have a better overall record in the American League.
Houston was scheduled to play a two game series on the road against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday and Wednesday.
With the non-waiver trade deadline due up on July 31, Astros’ manager AJ Hinch did not foresee his club making any blockbuster moves before that date.
“The biggest acquisition that we could have is getting Carlos Correa back,” Hinch said before Saturday’s game against the Angels. “That will be a huge boost when he comes back, more so than any hole that we would fill or any sort of trade that we would make.”
Correa has not played for the Astros since June 25 when he suffered a lower back injury. Houston is 16-8 in the 24 games that Correa has missed.
“I always think that’s a hard question in the dugout, because I like all of our guys,” Hinch said when asked about the impending deadline. “I think we’ve got a good thing going, and we have a really good team. My job is to support all of these guys.”
The Astros do not expect Correa to return to the Major Leagues for at least two weeks. The star shortstop will need to pass a series of tests and then complete a rehab assignment before the Astros feel comfortable activating Correa from the disabled list.
“If you just look at it naturally, whatever time it takes him to ramp up and then you tack on a handful of rehab games, we’re looking at minimum of a couple weeks,” Hinch said.
Contenders typically look to upgrade the pitching staff via trade, but Hinch feels comfortable standing pat with Houston’s current starting rotation.
“Our rotation is the most stable of anybody’s in baseball at this point,” Hinch said. “If we stay healthy, we have five starters.”
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TRACEY JAGNEAUX Sports Editor