Correa prepares for what could be final run with Astros

HOUSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa seems resigned to what now appears inevitable.

A Houston Astro since he was 17, his time with the team is probably approaching its expiration date — likely to end when the club's playoff run does.

“This is my home,” he said. “But it’s not up to me.”

Correa becomes a free agent after the season and the Astros seem unwilling to pay him what another team surely will. The sides negotiated in the offseason to no avail, and the star shortstop cut off talks when the season began so they wouldn’t be a distraction.

He certainly hasn’t looked preoccupied on the field this year, hitting a career-high 26 homers and leading all position players with a 7.2 overall WAR and 2.9 defensive WAR. But as the AL West champion Astros prepare to play the Chicago White Sox in their best-of-five Division Series beginning Thursday, the possibility that these are Correa’s final games with the team looms large.

“I’m just hoping that there’s a way that we can retain and sign Carlos, because he’s a big part of this team, not only on the field, but he’s one of the real leaders,” manager Dusty Baker said.

General manager James Click deflected talk about Correa’s future Tuesday.

“Right now, we’re focused on the postseason,” he said. “We’ll address the rest of it when we can.”

With his future in limbo, Correa reflected on what this team has meant to him as he grew from a boy to a man. He thought back to the day in 2012 when the Astros drafted him first overall. And the overwhelming feelings that enveloped him the moment he set foot in Minute Maid Park not long after that.

“I just felt like it was still a dream and I couldn’t wait to be here, playing full-time,” he said.

Correa knew what was expected of him from Day 1 and...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Correa-prepares-for-what-could-be-final-run-with-16512469.php