Carlos Correa Not Wearing Cleats at Twins Practice?

Last season, Carlos Correa had a foot problem. It was the second straight year in which the talented Minnesota Twins shortstop missed time because of plantar fasciitis pain in his feet. Previously he had back issues. He missed out on multiple contracts for an ankle issue. This was different.

After finding a shock therapy that helped ease the pain, and temporarily going away from the Nike footwear he’s paid to wear, Correa finally found his way back onto the field late last season. Unfortunately, the Twins’ second half tailspin couldn’t be stopped, by that point.

No cleats at MN Twins spring training for Carlos Correa

Looking back, the absence of Correa is probably the single-largest contributor to why the 2024 Twins failed to repeat their 2023 trip to the postseason. There’s a reason why the Twins pay Correa more than a fifth of the team’s entire big league player budget.

If they’re going to get back to the playoffs, they need their $33.3 million per year shortstop leading the defense and batting in the middle of the order. That’s what makes the health of Carlos Correa’s feet one of the more interesting storylines to watch this spring.

A closer look at some of the first few days down in Fort Myers reveal part of the effort being taken in order to keep any further plantar fasciitis problems at bay. Correa hasn’t been wearing cleats during the MN Twins’ early spring training practices. After some further digging, it appears he’s wearing Nike Wildhorse 8 Trail Running shoes instead.

Here’s a better look at Minnesota Twins Carlos Correa’s cleats for 2025.

📸: William Parmeter pic.twitter.com/votEF1m5lo

— Ted (@tlschwerz) February 19, 2025

Last season, Correa started the year with Jordan Retro 1 cleats (made by Nike). The narrow midsole proved tough on his plantar fasciitis. Begrudgingly, he finally made a change to Ohtani FuelCell cleats, made by New Balance. Understandable while performance. Sponsorships be damned when your shoes are part of what’s keeping you off the field.

The Wildhorse shoe does not have traditional cleats at the bottom. The trail running texture is designed to hold up over rugged terrain. Nike’s official description states, “The rubber outsole is reinforced with abrasion resistance for durability and provides enhanced grip—even on wet surfaces—so you can stay connected to the trail on ascents and descents, rain or shine.”

Related: Minnesota Twins Players Want to Run More But It’s Not Allowed

Correa is not a speedster by any means. I’d imagine a trail running shoe is plenty traction enough for some light spring practices. But how long will he avoid wearing baseball footwear during his professional baseball job? There’s no way he’s going without cleats when games start, right? That remains to be seen.

What difference do Correa’s shoes make for the MN Twins?

The Air Jordan 1, and virtually every cleat, has a TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) plate to construct the outsole. This rigid piece houses the individual cleats themselves. Those hard plastic bottoms, equipped with metal spikes that only give on soft surfaces can’t be good for a guy who is seriously prone to plantar fasciitis.

Most Nike models have Zoom Air units in either the forefoot, heel, or both. The technology is basically a thin bag that is inserted within the midsole to provide cushion and responsiveness. This works well in basketball shoes, but that hard TPU plate drastically reduces its effectiveness in baseball cleats.

Related: Minnesota Twins Offseason Gets Dismal Grade From Expert

An alternative for Correa, and notable that he isn’t going this route, is a pair of turf shoes. Nike offers the Diamond Elite model. That outsole is rubber and has a traction pattern designed for both dirt and turf pregame work.

Nike does not presently have a wide width cleat publicly available. While his options are relatively limited overall, Mike Trout’s 9th model could be the pick. Nike and Correa not being able to find a solution to this shoe problem is baffling, considering the situation involves the largest shoe giant in the game and one of the richest players in baseball… but here we are.