Astros’ Carlos Correa will not return this season

HOUSTON — In sobering news to a team searching for a spark amid its playoff push, Carlos Correa will not return to the Houston Astros this season, manager Joe Espada announced Tuesday afternoon.

Correa had been attempting a comeback from left ankle surgery that he initially described as season-ending. Within the last week, Correa moved his rehab to the team’s spring training complex in West Palm Beach, Fla., where his left leg did not respond well to an increasing volume of baseball activity.

“The buildup the last couple of days has really been tough. … It’s kind of created some soreness and stuff like that,” Espada said Tuesday.

Espada shot down any thought of Correa returning during the postseason, should the Astros qualify. Houston entered Tuesday with a one-game lead in the American League West over the Texas Rangers and, according to FanGraphs, had 79.5 percent odds to make the playoffs.

“I give him a ton of credit. He worked his tail off trying to get back this season,” Espada said. “We all knew there was always a chance for him to flare up again, but my respect to him, the fact that he tried and did everything he could. But we have to be smart about this. We have to make sure he’s healthy for next season, and I think that’s the course we’re going to take.”

Correa tore the peroneus brevis tendon in his left ankle on May 5 while taking a swing in the batting cages before a game. He underwent surgery on May 11 and, at the time, described his recovery timeline as six to eight months.

On Sept. 1, though, Correa got cleared to resume all baseball activities. He had progressed to fielding ground balls, sprinting at nearly 100 percent effort and even facing pitchers in live batting practice sessions at the team’s spring training facility. Running the bases and playing in games seemed like the final hurdle Correa had to clear.

Team officials — and Correa himself — still maintained a guarded optimism about a potential return given the severity of his injury and already accelerated timeline. Correa never committed outright to playing again this season, but did acknowledge earlier this month that “from the moment I had the surgery, my plan has always been to try and get back and play this year.”

Yet, before departing for Florida last week, Correa offered a caveat. He called the trip to Houston’s spring training facility “the real test for us to see if we can come back and play.” Correa could not pass it.

“That’s the most disappointing part — how much work he put in to get back, and you see the light at the end of the road. The fact that we couldn’t get past the hours of work, the strain that caused to his ankle during his workouts, it’s sad. But at the same time, just the fact that he got this close tells you how much he cares about the team and the organization.”

This story will be updated.