Carlos Correa Ramping Up Rehab, Targeting 2026 Return to Astros

Carlos Correa is ramping up his rehab work and targeting a return to the Astros at some point during the 2026 season, per MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. No timetable has been attached to that target, and the report stops well short of any official announcement.

The nature of the injury keeping Correa out is not detailed in the report, and what "ramping up" looks like in practical terms — whether that means on-field activity, baseball workloads, or something earlier in the process — is left unspecified. What remains to watch: whether Houston puts a more concrete window on his availability as the season progresses.

The bigger picture in Houston

Correa's rehab news lands in the middle of a stretch in which the Astros have been quietly busy. Juan Soto was activated off the IL after missing time with a calf injury, and Hunter Brown delivered a 10-strikeout outing that drew notice. Brent Strom, the former Houston pitching coach, also returned to the organization in an advisory role supporting pitching coaches Josh Miller and Ethan Katz — a reunion that Strom himself described as "not a nostalgia tour."

Correa's potential return would be the most significant roster development of the bunch, assuming the rehab continues on its current trajectory. For now, the operative word in McTaggart's report is *targeting*.