Twins’ Correa set to face former team
HOUSTON — Houston Manager Dusty Baker admitted this week that Carlos Correa is one of his favorite players.
That goodwill toward the former Astros star turned Minnesota mainstay won’t extend into this weekend, when Houston hosts the Twins in the American League division series.
“Personally, I don’t care if it’s my brother or my mama or dad or anybody on the other side,” Baker said. “If they’re on the other side when the game time starts, well, they are the opposition.”
Correa was drafted first overall by Houston in 2012 and spent seven seasons with the Astros before signing with the Twins prior to the 2022 season. He remains close with many Astros players and coaches but agreed with Baker that he’ll push that aside when the best-of-five series starts today.
“We’ll be friends again after this series,” Correa said Friday. “Right now, we’re both … focused on winning this series. It’s an important one.”
The shortstop has put his past with Houston behind him and is focused on his future with the Twins. But he admitted it’s nice to be back in the city this week and see some of the fans who loved him so much when he was a perennial postseason star for the Astros.
“I went to eat last night, and all the Astros fans are wishing me good luck,” Correa said. “I’m like: ‘are you sure you want to wish me good luck?’ ”
The Twins swept the Blue Jays 2-0 in the first round to win a playoff series for the first time in 21 years and get the chance to face the defending champion Astros, who are in their seventh-consecutive division series.
Houston’s Justin Verlander opposes Minnesota’s Bailey Ober in the opener and Astros’ left-hander Framber Valdez faces Pablo Lopez in Game 2 on Sunday night.
BUXTON RETURNS?
Minnesota Manager Rocco Baldelli wouldn’t say whether there was a chance Byron Buxton would be on this round’s roster after Buxton was left off against Toronto. Buxton, the second overall pick in the 2012 amateur draft, hasn’t played since straining his right hamstring Aug. 1. He’s also dealt with knee issues that have kept him from playing in the field all season.
But Buxton is ramping up his activity.
“I’m not going to answer the roster questions right now,” Baldelli said. “But he is going to go out … [and] hit a live BP today.”
BACK LIKE HE NEVER LEFT
Verlander returned to the Astros in a trade with the Mets this summer.
It’s the second time Verlander will start in the postseason for the Astros after beginning the season with another team. In 2017, he played for the Tigers, was traded on Aug. 31 and helped the Astros to their first World Series title.
He said that situation felt completely different.
“It feels like I’ve been here. … It was obviously a weird season, just going to New York for a few months and then coming right back,” he said. “Best analogy that I’ve heard is I did a summer abroad. It’s kind of funny. That’s how I felt.”
Verlander, 40, will be making his 35th postseason start. He was 13-8 with a 3.22 ERA in 27 starts this season. The three-time Cy Young Award winner was 7-3 with a 3.31 ERA in 11 starts for Houston after the trade.