Correa, Astros reach an $11.7M deal
Sides avoid arbitration, agree on one-year contract for slick-fielding shortstop
Shortstop Carlos Correa and the Houston Astros settled their arbitration case Saturday, reaching a deal on a one-year contract for $11.7 million.
Correa had asked for $12.5 million and the Astros had offered $9.75 million.
The 26-year-old All-star had an $8 million salary that became a prorated $2,962,963 during the pandemicshortened season.
Correa hit .264 with five home runs and 25 RBIS in 58 games last year, then excelled in the postseason. He hit .362 with six homers and 17 RBIS in 13 playoff games as Houston came within one win of reaching the World Series.
Correa led major league shortstops with a .995 fielding percentage, making just one error.
“Going through the arbitration process is necessary sometimes and it’s there for a reason,” Astros general manager James Click said. “But we’re all glad to have it behind us so we can
focus on our top priority, which is getting out there to compete for a championship with Carlos and the rest of the team.”
Correa said he was glad to take care of business.
“I’m happy that we were able to come to an agreement and avoid arbitration,” he said. “Arbitration is not a good process.”
Rangers: Veteran infielder Elvis Andrus was traded to the Oakland Athletics, just more than two months after the Texas Rangers said the only player remaining from their only two
World Series appearances would no longer be the starting shortstop after 12 seasons in that role. Texas is sending the 32-year-old Andrus, catcher Aramis Garcia and $13.5 million to the A’s for designated hitter Khris Davis, along with catcher Jonah Heim and right-hander Dane Acker. Andrus, who made his MLB debut with the Rangers at age 20 in 2009, is owed $14 million in each of the next two seasons. The $120 million, eight-season deal he signed in 2015 also includes a $15 million option for 2023 that now, because of the trade, becomes a player option if he has 550 plate appearances in 2022, or 1,100 combined in 2021-22. The AL West champion A’s, who have made the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, recently lost shortstop Marcus Semien to Toronto in free agency. Rangers president Jon Daniels said the deal had been discussed earlier in the winter, and conversations picked up in the past week. Daniels made a call Thursday night to Andrus, who could have vetoed any trade. The Rangers said in December that Gold Glove-winning third baseman Isiah Kiner-falefa, who will be 26 when the season opens, would be given the opportunity to be their starting shortstop. They told Andrus then to prepare to play all infield positions. Andrus has batted .274 over his 12 seasons, and the two-time All-star is the only MLB player with at least 10 seasons of 145 games or more since he debuted in 2009, before the Rangers went to the World Series in each of the next two seasons. He hit .194 last season when limited to 29 games because of lingering lower back issues.