Carlos Correa to Undergo Surgery on Thumb Injury; Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks

The Houston Astros will be forced to play without their star shortstop with Carlos Correa expected to miss at least six weeks with a torn ligament in his left thumb.        

Houston announced it placed the infielder on the 10-day disabled list Tuesday and provided a six- to eight-week timetable for his return.

Brian McTaggart of MLB.com provided reaction from Correa, who confirmed he needed surgery:

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports noted Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout needed 7.5 weeks to return from the same procedure.

Correa is in the midst of the best year of his young career, hitting .320 with 20 home runs and 67 RBI.

This effort caused fans to vote him as the starting shortstop for the American League in the 2017 All-Star Game, his first-ever selection. With the Astros so dominant—second only to the National League's Los Angeles Dodgers in total wins—he could have a strong argument as the most valuable player in the league.

While this is a breakout season for the 22-year-old, Correa had already set a high standard in his first couple of years in MLB. He earned the AL Rookie of the Year award as a 20-year-old in 2015 and hit at least 20 home runs with a .270 batting average in each of his first two seasons.

Unfortunately, his bright 2017 campaign has been sidetracked by an injury that will likely keep him off the field for an extended period.

The Astros still have plenty of stars who can carry the offense like Jose Altuve and George Springer, but the squad will hope Correa is back in the lineup sooner rather than later.