Astros: Carlos Correa placed on injured list due to COVID-19 protocol

After announcing his absence from the upcoming All-Star game, Astros shortstop Carlos Correa has been placed on the injured list.

The Houston Astros have announced on Friday that All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa has been placed on the injured list due to “health and safety protocols”.

USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale has also reported Correa’s stint on the IL is COVID-19 related.

Correa last played on Thursday, and there are no announcements on any other Astros personnel who have tested positive a well.

Astros shortstop Carlos Correa has been placed on the injured list

This announcement comes just one day after Correa told the media he would not be attending the 2021 All-Star game in Colorado due to spend time with his family. His teammate, Jose Altuve, also announced he would be skipping the mid-summer classic to prepare for the Astros’ playoff push in the second-half of the season.

In 358 plate appearances, Correa is slashing .288/.385/.510 with 16 home runs and 52 RBIs this season. He’s also played in 82 of Houston’s 88 games on the year.

Heading into Friday’s contests, the Astros are in first place with a comfortable 4.5 game lead over the Oakland A’s. While there’s no minimum terms for players placed on the COVID-19 IL, Correa will play a key role in Houston’s success for the remainder of the season.

He’s produced at an MVP-level this season, posting the 6th-highest WAR (3.7) in the majors and the 13th-highest wRC+ (149). Correa also ranks third in both categories among all big-league shortstops.

In his final year of arbitration, Correa will be among a loaded free-agent shortstop class in the upcoming offseason. Others on the market will include Javier Baez, Corey Seager, and Trevor Story.

It’s unclear when and if the Astros and Correa could reach an extension before season’s end, leaving the possibility that this could be the final year and opportunity for Houston to contend for a title with Correa on the team.