Jeremy Pena took over for Carlos Correa and put him out of a job. Correa departed for the Minnesota Twins, but he returned to the Houston Astros at the trading deadline last summer. Now, will Correa return to his former home in 2026? Someone needs to start at shortstop on Opening Day for the Astros, and it doesn’t appear that it will be Pena.

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Correa’s Return:

Sep 24, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa (1) hits a double against the Athletics in the ninth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

When Correa agreed to the trade, it was with full knowledge that he would be playing third base. Ultimately, he just wanted to be back in Houston, and the Astros needed him for both his bat and leadership abilities. Last year was also difficult for Houston as Yordan Alvarez dealt with injuries and Isaac Paredes was sidelined at the time of the trade.

Now, with everyone healthy, there are one or two more strong options than there are lineup spots. Initially, it seemed as if Paredes was going to be the casualty, but he’s also too good a player for the Astros to simply discard at a discount. The other consideration is that things like this generally work themselves out. Unfortunately, it’s not always for the better.

Depth Could Prevail:

In this case, it’s an injury driving the discussion. Ultimately, they are a part of the game, and it’s also the perfect example of why retaining depth is so important.

Granted, it could have happened anywhere at any time, but there are going to be more eyes on it because it happened during a WBC exhibition game. Pena was fielding a ground ball and injured the tip of his finger. It wasn’t enough to force him from the game, but it’s not an ideal situation, and that’s often not going to tell the full story.

Pena’s Injury:

Jun 17, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña (3) during the game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Not only was there an injury to the tip of Pena’s finger, but also to the fingernail. The shortstop figures to have a delayed start to his 2026 season, as the X-Ray did, in fact, result in a fracture. At this point, Pena will be sidelined for the next two weeks until he is reevaluated. That means he’ll likely be behind to start the season.

Houston does have Nick Allen as a backup shortstop, but they need to get Correa and Paredes into the starting lineup. The path that makes the most sense is Paredes at third base and Correa at shortstop. 

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