The Astros haven’t skipped a beat without Carlos Correa in 2022. They’ve won more games without him this year than they did with him in 2021. In the regular season.
While Jeremy Peña has been a quality replacement in his rookie year — ranking 12th in fWAR among all shortstops — he has yet to face his greatest challenge in the big leagues: playoff pitching.
As difficult as it is to face major-league pitching in general, it’s often harder come playoff time. It’s no secret why — the best teams are in the postseason, and the best teams typically roster high-quality arms.