Twins, Carlos Correa reach new deal

Carlos Correa‘s unprecedented free agency story finally seems to be coming to an end, and it turns out he doesn’t even have to look for a new place to live. reportedly agreed to a six-year, $200 million deal. Boras Corporation’s clients receive a complete no-deal clause, but no opt-out in the contract. The transaction is expected to close on Wednesday.

Correa’s contract is still pending the completion of a physical examination, but Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that “most” of that examination, including examination of Correa’s ankles and legs, has already been completed. If the deal closes, Correa will be rewarded with a signing bonus of $8 million (to be paid between 2023 and 2024), plus $36 million in 2023-2025, $31.5 million in 2026 and $30.5 million in 2027. , will receive an annual salary of $30 million in 2028. Option values ​​are $25 million (2029), $20 million (2030), $15 million (2031), and $10 million (2032). Correa earned an option for 2029 by reaching 575 plate appearances the previous season. That number is 550 in 2029 (to win his 2030 option), 525 in 2030 (to win his 2031 option), and 525 in 2031 (to win his 2031 option). He will be reduced to 502 (to earn his 2032 option). The Twins may choose either option even if Correa has not met the previous year’s vesting criteria.

A new deal between the Twins and Correa marks the latest and possibly final twist in perhaps the wildest free agency saga that has ever played out. Correa, who is a two-time All-Star, has agreed to three contracts worth more than $200 million for him with three different teams this winter. His first two of those were abandoned due to the aforementioned right foot/ankle concerns. Initially, Correa blew the runners-up Twins out of the water by agreeing to a 13-year, $350 million contract with the Giants. However, the Giants postponed Correa’s introductory press conference after 11 hours of voicing concerns about Correa’s physical condition. New York expressed similar concerns on December 24, after agreeing to a $315 million annual deal. .

At issue are concerns about the stability of Correa’s right foot and how well he will hold up over the duration of his long-term deal. Correa suffered a major fracture in the Astros system when he fell to third base as a 19-year-old prospect, requiring surgery and a plate installation, which remains to this day. Correa had never been on the injured reserve list for his leg in nine years since that injury, but at least he had a brief scare at the end of the 2022 season.

Correa was thrown to second base on a hard slide and remained on the field for some time before leaving on his own. After the game, he told reporters that he was hit with a plate in his leg and experienced brief numbness and vibrations. 346/.393/.481 in 56 at-bats by the end of the season with a home run and four doubles.

Correa’s legs and the way their hardware held up gave the Mets enough pause, reportedly halving both the length of the initial offer and the total guarantee. It offered capabilities that matched the first 12 years and $315 million offered, but the second half of the deal was conditional, and the team ostensibly refused to move from its stance on the issue. Unsurprisingly, Correa got a bigger guarantee and a significantly larger average annual value presented by the Twins, currently the biggest deal in franchise history.

The offseason leg drama surrounding Correa has done him no favors when it comes to shedding the “injury-prone” label that came with him early in his career, but the last three seasons Across the board, it’s worth pointing out that Correa came in at 89.1% of his team’s possible games. Eight of the games missed in that time came at the beginning of the 2022 season with the Twins when he spent more than a week on the Covid-related injury list.

Nevertheless, all eyes will be on Correa’s feet in the near future. The uncertainty surrounding it was enough to bring Correa back to Minnesota’s lap, who had been adamant that he was a player the Twins never wanted to lose. Back in Minnesota’s lap at a lower rate than the previously presented 10-year, $285 million offer – come to terms in San Francisco. It was a surprising turn of events and a major narrative change for a Twins club that had focused on Correa early in the offseason, with most of the influential players by the time it looked like they had won. Already off the board. Via San Francisco.

With Correa likely to be installed not just for the 2023 season, but at least for the next six years, the Twins’ short- and long-term outlook will radically change. 467 with 22 home runs, Correa will be back in the top third of a lineup that looks significantly deeper than it did a few hours ago.He would follow leading hitter and reigning AL batting champion Luis AraezWhen Byron Buxton, Jorge Polanco, Jose Miranda and off-season subscribers Joey Gallo Among the names behind him in order.

trade takeover if the Correa deal actually goes through Kyle Farmer From a short starter, he returns to the utility role the Twins originally envisioned when they acquired him. Farmer, who was acquired from Cincinnati in November, is a former catcher who has spent the last few years infield. He can provide Minnesota with a strong bat against left-handed pitching while backing up each of Correa, Polanco, and Miranda. Correa’s return makes Farmer available in more favorable platoon matchups, a year after ex-Red slashed .309/.380/. only .235/.291/.320 against).

Correa’s return on a long-term deal also raises the question of where fellow shortstop and former No. 1 overall pick lie. Lois Lewis Once he’s back to full health, that might just fit the equation. Lewis has had a disastrous health haul, having torn the ACL in his right knee twice in just over a calendar year. 300/.317/.550 in his first 12 games in MLB in 2022, but while playing in the outfield suffered a torn ligament in him. The outfield will likely be Lewis’ long-term home, but he’s also seen as an option at third base (perhaps Miranda moves across the diamond) or second base as Polanco’s successor going into the final guaranteed season. of his contract. (However, the Twins have two affordable club options in Polanco.)

Correa’s $36 million annual salary (and half of his $8 million signing bonus) brings the Twins’ salary to around $157 million, a franchise record. The Twins also added Gallo (1 year, $11MM) and a catcher. Christian Vasquez (3 years, $30MM) Offseason so far — 3 moves that should upgrade the team’s defense at various key positions. Correa didn’t match his 2021 platinum glove numbers in his first season with the Twins, but he is generally considered a positive defender and will be in the position for years to come with quality glove work. must be stabilized. He has the arm strength to move into hot corners should a move to another position ultimately be deemed necessary, and according to Statcast, is the 2022 arm strength leader. He ranks 14th among all major league infielders (minimum 100 pitches) in points.

The addition of Gallo only increased Minnesota’s chances of finally finding a trading partner. Max Keplerthe Twins currently have left-handed corner outfielders (Kepler, Gallo, Trevor Larnach, Alex Kirillov, Matt Wallner). Kirilluf could be seen at first base most of the time, but the Twins still have four viable corner outfielders with him in two spots. Kyle Garlic When Gilberto Celestino.

The Twins now have so many options around their outfield corners and infield that they all fall under the “good problem to have” cliché. Otherwise it didn’t seem so palatable.

To put it more simply, an unflattering reunion with Correa would arguably be considered the most important move of the offseason, but it’s unlikely to be the last. may have made a mistake in setting up for .

ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to report the deal and terms (twitter link). Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported vesting options and details surrounding the Mets’ reduced offer and Correa’s physical with the Twins (all twitter Link). USA Today’s Bob Nightengale murmured The agreement does not contain an opt-out. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (twitter Link) When Ronald Blum of The Associated Press Reported details on vesting options and salary structure. Heyman has established a vesting threshold and a no-deal clause (twitter link), meanwhile, Athletic’s Dan Hayes reported that the Twins have the ability to trigger the option even though Correa doesn’t meet the vesting mark (on Twitter).nightengale murmured A deal is likely to be announced on Wednesday.