Astros: Carlos Correa out 6-8 weeks with thumb injury

The red-hot Astros will be without one of their star players for a while as the team announced Carlos Correa will miss 6-8 weeks with a torn thumb ligament.

The Houston Astros are just one of two teams to reach 60 wins before the All-Star break this season. The team has a substantial lead in the American League West. Though, things just got real for the Astros.

The team announced on Tuesday that shortstop Carlos Correa has a torn ligament in his left thumb and will miss six to eight weeks. Astros field reporter Julia Morales tweeted that Correa will require surgery.

Correa left the game Monday after jamming his thumb in the fourth inning. It seemed to be a re-aggravation of a similar injury suffered on July 4. After reevaluation, he was placed on the 10-day DL.

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Mike Trout suffered the same injury, but no two injuries are the same, especially between two different players. Trout missed about six and a half weeks before returning.

Six weeks from the announcement will be August 29. I think that’s one week too early. I would expect to see him back no earlier than September 5.

Correa was on pace to have his best season ever, already reaching or passing previous career highs. In 84 games, he was hitting .320/.400/.566 with 20 home runs, 67 RBI, 64 runs, 104 hits and a 71:44 K:BB ratio. He doesn’t have any steals after stealing 27 in his first two years.

He was the No. 3 shortstop on the Player Rater, behind Trea Turner and Elvis Andrus, mostly because of the lack of steals.

Luckily for the Astros, the team is stacked with infielders. The team called up Colin Moran but they have enough options currently to fill in for Correa. Alex Bregman can move over to shortstop with Marwin Gonzalez getting more playing time at third base.

As for fantasy replacements, Bregman is owned in 55.4 percent of ESPN leagues and Gonzalez is owned in 79.0 percent. I would pick up Bregman if he’s still available.

Outside of the Astros organization, Paul DeJong is crushing the ball and has second, third and short eligibility. Jose Reyes is also making good contact with the ball in recent weeks. He has five multi-hit games in his last seven, going 12-for-27 in that span.

Next: Aaron Altherr lands on DL

For any Correa owner, you need to keep him. He will still provide value, even for the final weeks of the season. Keeping him is also a no-brainer in keeper or dynasty leagues. This doesn’t seem like the kind of injury that will decrease his performance next season. It’s just another injury owners have to deal with this season.