*Photo from KGET.com*
Nothing has been crazier than the Carlos Correa saga this offseason. Correa and the Minnesota Twins have agreed to a 6 year, $200 million deal, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The Twins have confirmed, as Correa has passed his physical.
Correa became a free agent after opting out of his Twins contract in November. On December 13, he agreed to a 13 year, $350 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. On the day the press conference was scheduled, the Giants delayed it due to an issue with Correa's physical, with Correa reportedly at the park when the news broke.
San Francisco's deal fell apart, leading Correa to quickly sign a 12 year, $315 million deal with the New York Mets a day later. The Mets also had concerns with Correa's health, and negotiations on a new deal had reportedly gone south. In come the Twins, who agree to a deal with Correa despite issues surrounding his ankle, and he passed his physical, confirming the contract.
Correa said of the journey this offseason that "One thing I learned throughout the whole process was that doctors have a difference of opinions. I had a lot of doctors tell me that I was fine. I had some doctors that said it wasn’t so fine. The whole process was crazy, but the endgame was great."
Issues with Correa's physical were unexpected, but he has spent his fair share of time on the IL throughout his career with various injuries. However, that does not include the past two seasons, with Correa playing in 148 games in 2021 and 136 in 2022, only missing time due to Covid-19 and a hand injury after being hit with a pitch. A right leg issue hasn't put Correa on the IL previously.
The contract for Correa also has another 4 years of team options that vest based on certain playing time thresholds. The options are worth $70 million combined and max out the contract at 10 years and $270 million, just shy of the 10 year, $285 million deal the Twins previously offered.
Minnesota president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said that "Sometimes in baseball, as in life and everywhere else, fate and destiny come back together and there’s an opportunity that you don’t always expect. The journeys are not always linear. They are circuitous sometimes. But they are here, and they bring us back together, to the place where we knew was always right for Carlos."
Last season was Correa's first with the Twins after 7 with the Houston Astros. Correa ended the season with a .291 batting average and .834 OPS, bashing 22 home runs with 64 RBI's in 136 games for the Twins.
Correa gets the longest and richest deal the Twins have ever given to a free agent, and for good reason. His 140 OPS+ last season was a career best, with his .291 average being the second highest, trailing a .315 clip in 2017. According to Baseball Reference, he had a 5.2 offensive WAR in 2022.
The accolades keep coming on defense too. He had a 1.1 defensive WAR and has a 39.5 WAR over his career, 6th highest by a primary shortstop since 2017. He led all shortstops in wRC+, and has 70 defensive runs saved and 25 outs above average throughout his career. He's also a two time all star to go with winning a gold glove and platinum glove in 2021 with the Astros.
Asked about how his free agency played out, Correa said "The whole free agency process, it’s a very complicated process as we know, and a lot of things happen along the way. But at the end of the day, all that matters is that I’m here."
This offseason, Correa joins Kyle Farmer, Christian Vazquez, and Joey Gallo as free agency additions by the Twins, who stumbled to a 78-84 record and 3rd place in the AL Central last season.
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