Mets have checked in with Astros about Carlos Correa

According to SNY’s Andy Martino, the Mets have had a “dialogue” with the Astros about star shortstop Carlos Correa. No other details are known and nothing appears close at the moment but another source went so far as to call the rumor “fantasy baseball.”

This latest rumor comes just a couple of days after Ken Rosenthal reported that the Astros could be looking to clear salary which would mean moving Correa. It was an injury-plagued 2019 for the shortstop who sustained a rib injury during a massage in May and then had a recurring back problem that also bothered him in 2018. He appeared in just 75 games last season but hit .279/.358/.568 with 21 home runs and 59 RBIs. He was worth 2.9 bWAR despite all the injuries and was an All-Star as recently as 2017 when he was an integral piece to Houston winning the World Series.

If the Astros were to move him they would be selling a bit low on one of their brighter stars. He has had two down seasons in a row due to both injuries and underperformance and back issues are always concerning. However he is still young, and when healthy he is one of the game’s best offensive shortstops. He would not be a rental since he is under contract until 2022 when he becomes a free agent.

For their part, Houston GM Jeff Luhnow said he would be surprised if they decided to move in a direction of trading any of their core players. This is still just a whisper of a rumor during a season that is full of them but it is a change from the players the Mets have been linked to so far this offseason.