Correa arbitration avoided
Shortstop’s ’21 salary set at $11.7M; long-term talks next on the agenda
The Astros avoided an arbitration hearing with shortstop Carlos Correa on Saturday, clearing a final hurdle that stood between the club and long-term contract talks with its franchise cornerstone.
According to multiple people with knowledge of the agreement, Correa will make $11.7 million during the 2021 season — his final year before free agency. The two sides found common ground between a wide gap that separated them last month.
In January, Correa asked for a $12.5 million salary. The Astros countered with $9.75 million. The two sides could not come to an agreement by the deadline to exchange salary figures and appeared bound for an arbitration hearing later this month. Correa’s new salary is $575,000 over the midpoint.
“I’m happy that we were able to come to an agreement and avoid arbitration,” Correa said in a statement. “Arbitration is not a good process. I want to thank James Click, Jim Crane and my agent, Jon Rosen, for getting the deal done. I’m ready to play and represent the Houston Astros.”
The Astros are a file and trial club, which normally means all negotiations with arbitration-eligible players cease after the deadline to exchange figures. Both Correa and general manager James Click acknowledged in recent weeks the two sides were likely headed for a hearing.
Arbitration hearings are often awkward affairs. Teams scrupulously scrutinize their own players in hopes of convincing three arbiters that he should make a lower salary than desired. Some players leave with hurt feelings or other animosity toward the team.
For a team hoping to keep a player long-term — like the Astros hope to do with Correa — it can be an unsettling exercise.
“The most important thing to understand is it’s a business, and you have to leave your feelings out of it,” Correa said on the Astros’ team radio show last month. “You have to understand that teams are trying to build the best team possible and try to spend (a) less amount of money. That’s what business means. You want to be able to profit and still have a solid team. I understand that. I leave feelings outside of it. I know arbitration is a process that happens to a lot of people.”
In that same interview, Correa reiterated his desire to stay in Houston and be an “Astro for life.” Click confirmed the shortstop has expressed the sentiment to him privately, too. The two sides have discussed a longterm deal, according to Click, but they wanted to “get through this one (the arbitration hearing)” first.
Now that it’s done, attention will shift to Correa’s long-term future. The Astros have a recent habit of spring training contract extensions, but Correa’s case is different than any of the club’s prior dealings. He is 26 years old and plays a premium position. Correa could command a deal that dwarfs any other in franchise history.
Jose Altuve’s five-year, $151 million extension in 2018 remains the richest contract in club history. Altuve got the deal at age 28, following an MVP season in 2017. Correa can not claim such recent success.
On the field, Correa had a forgettable 2020 regular season. Thirty-nine of his 53 hits were singles. He slugged just .383 and finished with a .709 OPS, but emerged as the club’s unquestioned leader.
Correa became the face of Houston’s response to the sign-stealing scandal, unafraid to challenge opponents and others in the game who he claimed had misinformation. In the playoffs, Correa struck five home runs, including a walk-off shot in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series. In Game 6, he famously chided young starter Framber Valdez to prevent a heated situation from escalation and keep Houston on a path to victory.
That last impression made many forget Correa’s most recent struggles. He’s struggled to stay healthy his entire Astros career. He played 75 games in 2019. He hasn’t played more than 110 since 2016. It stands to reason that if Correa can play a full 2021 season at an elite level, his value on the open market will skyrocket. Correa is scheduled to enter a loaded class of free-agent shortstops in 2021 alongside Francisco Lindor, Trevor Story, Corey Seager, Javy Baez and Marcus Semien.