Baltimore Orioles perfect next stop for Carlos Correa

If Carlos Correa opts out of his current contract with the Minnesota Twins (as many expect him to do), landing with the Baltimore Orioles for the 2023 season seems to make perfect sense.

Carlos Correa heading to the Baltimore Orioles in 2023 makes too much sense

With the collapse of the Minnesota Twins this season, the 28-year-old Correa has a decision awaiting him in the offseason. Inked to a three-year deal worth more than $105 million this past offseason, Correa is expected to opt out of the remaining two years of the deal and once again test the free agent market this winter.

Baltimore could well the perfect landing spot for Correa, especially after a season where the Orioles surprised the baseball world and enter Wednesday’s action with an 80-74 mark and still mathematically alive for a Wild Card spot. This success, coupled with Baltimore general manager Mike Elias saying that the Orioles will “significantly increase the payroll” this offseason, could well result in Correa strongly considering Camden Yards as his next home.

Elias and Correa have a history together as Elias was the amateur scouting director for the Houston Astros when Correa was taken by Houston with the top overall pick in the 2012 MLB draft. Elias and the Orioles were also linked to Correa last offseason before he signed with Minnesota, but told reporters it was “unlikely” the team would sign a free agent to a multi-year deal.

However, that was then. If Correa is available this offseason and the Orioles have payroll flexibility (which they do, with just $19.6 million committed per Spotrac before arbitration), the timing could be perfect for the two sides to come together.

Correa is finishing the season strong, slashing .361/.415/.619 over 106 September plate appearances. That will add to a resume at a premium position that will entice several teams this offseason to see how he could fit into their plans. He will, however, be joining a shortstop market that could possibly include big names such as Trea Turner, Dansby Swanson, and Xander Bogaerts.

Baltimore currently has Jorge Mateo as its primary shortstop, with Gunnar Henderson seeing some time there after his call-up as well. Mateo, however, has slashed just .222/.267/.386 this season and Henderson has played more at third than shortstop since his call-up.

With Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and a young pitching corps in place, there is a youth movement afoot in Baltimore. Adding a veteran with postseason experience like Correa into the mix could make the Orioles a team to watch even more in 2023.