The Minnesota Twins have stunned the baseball world. Just after midnight C.T., Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston reported that the Twins have signed former Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa as a free agent.
Carlos Correa is going to be with the Minnesota Twins for the foreseeable future
Former Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa will be a member of the Minnesota Twins for the next three years. Yes, you read that right: only for three years.
The two sides agreed to a deal that will pay Correa $105.3 million for the next three years, for an average annual value (AAV) of $35.1 million per season. As Berman noted, it is the highest AAV for an infielder.
MLB source: Free agent shortstop Carlos Correa has reached an agreement with the Minnesota Twins (@Twins) on a three-year deal worth $105.3 million with opt outs after the first two years. Highest average annual value for an MLB infielder.
— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) March 19, 2022
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that the deal came together very quickly and that Correa has an opt-out after each season.
Carlos Correa’s deal with the Twins will pay him $35.1 million in each of the three years. No front-loading. He’s got opt-outs after the first and second seasons of the deal. It came together quickly today. And the top free agent of the winter goes to Minnesota in a stunner.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 19, 2022
It is a stunner of a move in a few ways. First of all, the Twins actually signing him. They were reportedly in on Trevor Story but Story wouldn’t have cost that much.
Secondly, the Twins still do not have a good starting rotation. Dylan Bundy is their #2 starter so to contend in the easily winnable AL Central, the Twins will have to make some upgrades there. They already traded for Sonny Gray but he will need more help.
Third, Correa’s market obviously never materialized for the length he wanted. MLB Trade Rumors (and plenty of others) predicted that he would get a ten-year deal (MLBTR predicted $320 million). So Correa exceeded the AAV but he was nowhere close on the length … and it’s easy to see why.
Correa is one of the best players in baseball … when he’s healthy. He was healthy in 2021 as he played in 148 games. He hit .279/.366/.485 with 26 homers, 92 RBI, 34 doubles, and an OPS+ 131. He was an All-Star, won a Gold Glove Award, and came in fifth in AL MVP voting.
But the last time Correa played in more than 110 games in the regular season was in 2016 because of the 2020 shortened season and injuries in the prior three seasons.
The Twins unloaded some payroll earlier this week when they traded Josh Donaldson to the Yankees so the Twins were able to afford this deal for Correa.
Now, they have to turn to their rotation, which will need some serious help before Opening Day.