FORT MYERS, FLA. - Carlos Correa is naturally focused on himself and his Twins teammates this spring, vowing to do whatever he can to stay healthy all season, hopefully with Royce Lewis and Byron Buxton beside him.
Twins' Carlos Correa eyes his old Astros from a distance
Houston is testing his former double-play partner Jose Altuve in the outfield. “That little man can do anything,” Correa said. “He’ll be fine.”
The Minnesota Star Tribune
February 20, 2025 at 12:00PM
“We all talked about it. If we all three can stay on the field for 140 games, it would be special,” Correa said Tuesday before the first workout of his fourth season with the Twins. “That’s the dream. Once we’re on the field healthy, good things happen.”
But the Twins’ starting shortstop is paying attention to his old Astrobuddies, too.
For instance, Correa is paying attention to Houston’s apparent intention to move his former double-play partner, nine-time All-Star Jose Altuve, to left field. The Astros want to improve their defense, and moving Yordan Alvarez to designated hitter full time while Altuve fills Alvarez’s spot in left field seems to be their intention. Altuve, 34, has been working with the outfielders in Astros camp this week and will make his first start there in Saturday’s Grapefruit League opener.
“That little man can do anything,” Correa said of his friend. “He’ll be fine.”
Asked if he’s impressed that Altuve, the Astros’ starting second baseman since 2011, would make such a sacrifice for his team, Correa said, “If he puts up a .900 OPS” — something Altuve has accomplished five times in his career — “that would be a good sacrifice.”
Another of Correa’s ex-teammates has been in the news — and in Fort Myers — lately, too. The Red Sox signed Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract last week, and the former Houston third baseman is now training just up Daniels Parkway at JetBlue Park.
The pair of infielders have been in touch.
“I already told him he’s got to come over to the house, and I’m going to cook for him,” Correa said. “I’m a really good cook.”
How good?
“I can make anything from Italian pastas to steaks to smash burgers. Asian food, orange chicken, too,” Correa said. “My wife says I deserve a Michelin star.”
We see … Jose Miranda at both infield corners, new guys Harrison Bader and Ty France slashing, Chris Paddack throwing hard and Pablo López doing “nasty” stuff.
