Carlos Correa Has a Shoe Problem

The Minnesota Twins have been without Carlos Correa more than a month. He is again dealing with plantar fasciitis, and the injury has kept him out longer than expected. It’s definitely a foot problem, but may be a footwear problem as well.

Minnesota Twins need Carlos Correa to find the right kicks

Last season the Minnesota Twins watched Carlos Correa try to play through his plantar fasciitis issue. That resulted in significantly sapped production. Correa was named and All-Star , and has been the club’s best player by fWAR .

Correa being on the field is beneficial, but only if he is at peak performance. Part of Correa’s delay has been related to footwear, reports local insider Darren “Doogie” Wolfson .

“They’re still trying to figure out the shoes. The shoe for the right foot. There still is discomfort when he runs in a straight line…He told me the other day if I’d have told him on August 15th that you’re still not back in the lineup he would have said ‘you’re frickin’ nuts.’ Here we are, they still can’t figure this thing out. There’s a sponsorship issue. He gets paid a lot of money. He’s a Nike guy. They’re trying to figure out the shoe. You can’t make it up.”

Darren Wolfson on Carlos Correa’s injury issue

You can look back on Carlos Correa’s 2015 Topps rookie cards and see the superstar wearing Nike shoes. He has been a Nike athlete forever. That reality hasn’t changed, but the silhouette’s have. Correa has worn Jordan Retro 1’s this season. While they show off Jordan Brand, the cleats still fall under the Nike umbrella.

Related: Twins, Carlos Correa Clearly Learned a Valuable Lesson Last Season

Nike should be looking into a special insert or silhouette for Correa. He is facing contractural issues that would keep him from switching to another brand. Nike clearly doesn’t want this issue to be reflective of their brand either.

Carlos Correa needs to return for Minnesota Twins

After posting just 1.8 fWAR across 135 games last year, Correa has generated 3.6 fWAR in just 75 games for the Twins this season. He has easily been the team’s best player, and their lineup isn’t the same without him. Should Byron Buxton go on the shelf , Rocco Baldelli’s club would be even further saturated.

The Minnesota Twins have just 42 games left during the regular season. They remain 4.5 games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the American League Central Division. Baldelli’s team is among the best in baseball . They need a clean bill of health to show that off. Correa will need time to acclimate before the postseason begins, and he could need a rehab assignment as well.

Beyond just treating and dealing with his plantar fasciitis, Correa and the Twins must find equipment that will negate the injury in the future. Correa likely doesn’t want to sever ties with Nike, and that means the company should be looking for alternatives as well.

Related: Carlos Correa is Completely Obsessed with WAR

Plantar fasciitis is certainly a problem in and of itself. Not having shoes that are comfortable to play in is another one altogether.

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