Astros' Hinch: Munoz's slide that injured Correa was 'brutal'

Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa hurt his right arm when St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Yairo Munoz collided with him on a slide to break up a double play on Saturday.

During his follow-through, Munoz briefly stepped on Correa's arm.

(Video courtesy: MLB.com)

Astros manager A.J. Hinch wasn't happy.

"It was a brutal slide," Hinch said, according to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. "You're supposed to hold the base, he's not holding the base, there's no mechanism to really get an automatic double play if he... It's an unnecessary slide. He didn't need to go all the way through the base and hit Carlos.

"The slide rule fails again. We didn't protect Carlos there."

Changes were made to the old slide rule in 2015 after Chase Utley broke Ruben Tejada's leg on an aggressive slide at second base.

The updated slide rule states that "a runner has to make a 'bona fide slide.' Such is defined as the runner making contact with the ground before reaching the base, being able to reach the base with a hand or foot, being able to remain on the base at the completion of the slide (except at home plate), and not changing his path for the purpose of initiating contact with a fielder."

Correa initially stayed in Saturday's game to finish the eighth inning, but he was removed in the ninth. The All-Star, who was playing in just his second game after a long injured list stint, doesn't think the offending slide was intentional.

"I think it was an accident. I looked at the video and he didn't go for the bag," Correa said.

"But, honestly, I don't know," he added. "I was just worried because my fingers got numb. But, right now, I feel great, the sensation is not there anymore and I should be good for tomorrow."

Prior to the injury, Correa blasted his first career grand slam, leading the Astros to an 8-2 victory at Busch Stadium.