World Series: Jeremy Pena has made Astros fans forget about Carlos Correa

HOUSTON — Part of what made Carlos Correa the star he was in this city for the better part of eight years was the shortstop’s performance in the postseason.  

There were exceptions — as there always are in the short snippet of a given playoff series — but the two-time All-Star and 2015 American League Rookie of the Year generally performed at a level in the postseason commensurate with his typical regular-season excellence.

And now rookie shortstop Jeremy Pena has all but made Correa a distant memory in the eyes of Astros fans.

That especially has been the case with Pena’s performance this October — and into November — which helped the Astros capture the World Series in six games as they beat the Phillies, 4-1, on Saturday night at Minute Maid Park.

Pena, 25, a third-round draft pick of the Astros in 2018, had the unenviable task of taking over for Correa, who before the 2022 season signed a free-agent deal with the Twins that he opted out of after one year with Minnesota. Pena, however, made the transition a seamless one.

Though not the offensive weapon Correa was in the regular season, Pena nonetheless shined in the field. And after producing a .253 batting average, 22 homers and a .715 OPS in 136 regular-season games, he erupted in the postseason.

Amazingly, the rookie captured World Series MVP honors after being named the MVP of the ALCS. He went 10-for-25 (.400) with one homer, two doubles and a 1.023 OPS in the World Series after going 6-for-17 (.353) with two homers, two doubles and a 1.177 OPS in the ALCS. He wound up 20-for-58 (.345) with four homers, five doubles, eight RBIs and a 1.005 OPS in 13 postseason games.

“I never saw it as having to fill shoes,” Pena said of taking over for Correa. “I just had to come in and be myself, play my game.”

Asked after the Game 6 victory what has been the hardest thing about replacing Correa, he said: "I'd say the hardest part was just blocking everything that's not part of the game. There's a saying that you can't sink a ship with water around. It sinks if water gets inside. So I just try to stay strong and keep the water outside my head. So yeah, just keep playing my game, show up every single day, and just trust in my preparation."

Astros manager Dusty Baker said he was impressed with Pena from Day 1 of spring training.

“He had his eyes open. He always paid attention. You could tell he was very attentive and confident, but quiet,” Baker said. “Boy, he's played remarkably well. I mean, he's really carried us for a while here through this postseason, and that's especially tough for a young player, a young shortstop. And I'm just glad we have him.”

Baker said Pena’s performance on this stage reminded him of Andruw Jones with Atlanta. As a 19-year-old, he homered twice in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series against the Yankees (Jones, who would play 17 big-league seasons, went 8-for-20 with a 1.250 OPS in Atlanta’s six-game loss in that series).

“I talked to him earlier in the year about being ready, especially in a clutch situation, and to remain aggressive,” Baker said. “And he works at it. He works at his game. What he's done this year was similar to when I saw a young Andruw Jones as a young player against the Yankees. Every once in a while, these guys come along, not that often, but it just goes to show you . . . I mean, his future is very, very bright.”

When it comes to credit, Pena said to look inside his clubhouse, one that has a handful of players who have appeared in each of the last six ALCS and four World Series.

“Shout-out to my teammates. They prepare for every single game. It rubs off on you,” Pena said. “They have a sense of calmness because they have been here [the World Series] four years out of the last six. So you just gravitate towards them and just go out and compete and have fun.”

Justin Verlander said those players Pena admires can learn plenty from the rookie.   

“He leads by example. He leads by his play on the field. It's been incredible,” said Verlander, who notched his first career World Series win in Game 5, a 3-2 Houston victory in which Pena had three hits, including a homer. “Obviously, coming in as a rookie at the major league level isn't ever easy no matter what, but to step in and try to replace a Carlos Correa on a roster that he was a mainstay on and a leader of our team, to come in and be able to fill . . . I don't want to say fill the shoes. It's different. He's not expecting to fill those shoes. He's his own player. [But] to come in and do what he's done, to showcase his game, and step up in the biggest of moments, it's just been a lot of fun to watch.”

By Erik Boland

erik.boland@newsday.comeboland11

Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.