Astros May Have Hail Mary Coming for AL Playoff Race

Time is running out in the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season. Although the clock is ticking, it sounds like there is star in the American League who could make it back just in time for the postseason.

There was a point early on this season in which the Houston Astros looked like a disaster. It hasn't been Houston's best season, but the Astros currently are in first place in the American League West at 75-74 and they're going to get even more interesting. Three-time All-Star Carlos Correa hasn't played in a game since May 4 with what was expected to be a season-ending ankle injury. Now, it seems like he's actually going to return for the playoff push and in a new role. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported that Correa could be an option at second base if he returns in the final week of the season.

Carlos Correa Playoff Push Impact

Apr 28, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Houston Astros infielder Carlos Correa (1) reacts after striking out in the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"As the Astros ponder how to align their defense if Correa returns from left-ankle surgery in the final week, using him at second is one possibility, according to a person briefed on the team’s deliberations who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans that haven’t been announced," Rosenthal wrote.

Right now, the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox arguably are the top three contenders in the American League. It's been a weak season for the American League overall, outside of these three.

Correa is the type of player who can put Houston into this category of contenders if he actually returns and looks like himself. The 31-year-old was slashing .279/.369/.418 with a .787 OPS, three home runs, 16 RBIs and eight doubles in 32 games before he landed on the Injured List.

When Houston was at its best and was contending for World Series titles each year, Correa was right in the middle of it. He has played in 85 games in the postseason throughout his MLB career to this point. He has been elite in the postseason as well. In his playoff career, he has slashed .282/.352/.508 with an .860 OPS, 18 home runs and 63 RBIs. Correa has been at his best in his career when the lights have been the brightest.

The Astros have been average this season. They are just one game above .500. It's a bit surprising to see a club sit atop a division while being just one game above .500. It's a product of circumstance. It just so happens that this year, the American League has been bad. That's why the Astros are firmly in the mix for a playoff spot in general. Getting a legit star back, like Correa, could be the variable that takes this team from barely sneaking into the postseason, to being a legit threat to make a run.

That's especially the case because the Astros' path in the postseason would be on the lighter side, on paper. If the playoffs were to begin tomorrow, the Astros would host the Cleveland Guardians in the first round of the playoffs. If Houston were to advance, it would face the 76-72 Chicago White Sox in the American League Division Series. Then, they would face one of the three elite American League East teams in the American League Championship Series.

Right now, the Astros already are in a good place because they could avoid the AL East until at least the ALCS because of how the playoffs are structured. Now, they're also likely getting a legit star back into the mix. If there's a team in the American League that's a wild card to go on a deep run, it's Houston.

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