Amid uncertainty, Correa focused on now

ATLANTA — You never know which one will be the last one.

The final at-bat for the team that drafted, developed and promoted you.

The last home game inside the ballpark that cheers you louder than ever.

The final time that you play a World Series game with your close friends and Astros teammates.

The last one could be years away for Carlos Correa in orange and blue. Entering Game 4 of the 2021 Fall Classic, the All-Star shortstop was still a proud member of the Astros, and there still was a chance that Houston's Major League Baseball could have him in uniform for 2022 and beyond.

But somewhere in the back of Correa's baseball mind, the other thoughts must be churning.

The future. Free agency. Hundreds of millions of dollars.

A new MLB home or the same one since 2015?

The current face of the Astros smiled, cracked jokes, kept it loose and poked fun at Game 4 starter Zack Greinke on Saturday inside Truist Park.

“I'm looking forward to seeing (Greinke) swing the bat (Saturday) once again,” Correa said. “He sounds like he's really excited about it.”

This is the Astros' third World Series in five years, and they're trying to finish this one like

2017, not '19.

The future can wait.

Game 4 was all that mattered for the Astros' No. 1 as glaring lights hovered above his head and a white H and orange star stood out on his dark-blue cap.

“I've enjoyed every single second of it with this group of

guys,” Correa said. “It just feels like we want to go out there and win it. It's really hard to get to a World Series. Three years out of five, it's pretty special. It will be even more special if we can win it. We didn't win the last one, that one still hurts, so we want to make sure we go out there (Saturday), get this win and keep going and hopefully win this one.”

Jose Altuve used the “must

win” term earlier in October. A day away from Halloween, Correa employed the same emphasis on Game 4.

He also made it clear that falling in the final innings to Washington in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series inside Minute Maid Park still stings.

“(Greinke) had a really good chance to win the game,” Correa said. “It was an impressive performance by him against a

team that was really hot at the time. Going back, it still hurts, seeing the way that series ended. But here we are, 2021, with a chance to win another one. So we've got to focus on the now.” Speaking of Greinke … If Correa's final run with the Astros is the 2021 World Series, it won't just be his talent, experience, leadership, presence and October clutch power that are missed.

The Astros also will have a difficult time replacing Correa's comfort in the media spotlight.

“(Greinke is) a good hitter, but he thinks he's Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron if you talk to him. He thinks he has a 1.000 career OPS,” said Correa, referring to a Game 4 starter who also was written into Dusty Baker's lineup in the eighth spot. “So I always mess with him. He's like, ‘Oh, I'm a great hitter.' I'm like, ‘Yeah, you're a .600 career OPS guy, what are you talking about?' ”

Correa entered Game 4 1for-10 in the World Series and batting .255 with one home run, six RBIs, nine runs and a .747 OPS in the playoffs. He had produced big, game-changing at-bats for the Astros. But he hadn't dominated in the box.

“That's what happens when you're in the playoffs and you're facing the best pitchers in the world,” said Correa, discussing the Astros' overall streakiness on offense. “You don't get many easy at-bats in the postseason. It's not like you're facing No. 5 starters and all that. You're facing 1, 2, 3 and then bullpen.”

The Astros almost were nohit in Game 3 and were down 2-1 to an Atlanta team that had been hot throughout the playoffs. Did Correa's club need another team meeting like it had in Boston before another critical Game 4?

“No, we know what it takes to win, and we know what we've got to do,” Correa said. “We've just got to go out there and focus.”

The Astros' best player and biggest asset sounded and looked as confident as ever.

If this is the last time for everything, that future can wait.

Correa wanted one more victory on Saturday night with the Astros. And then his second world title in orange and blue.

“We're just focused on the now and trying to win this series,” he said. “Then we can talk about all that later.”

Karen Warren / Staff photographer Star shortstop Carlos Correa has developed a close bond with his teammates over the years but could be playing his final games in an Astros uniform as free agency looms.