Central figure: Correa tips scales
The White Sox might not stroll to the American League Central title again this year.
The Sox were put on notice in the wee hours Saturday morning, when reports emerged of star shortstop Carlos Correa agreeing to a three-year, $105.3 million contract with the Twins, ending his seven-season run with the Astros.
Correa will earn $35.1 million annually and can opt out after the 2022 and 2023 seasons to become a free agent again. His average salary becomes the fourth-highest in baseball behind Mets pitcher Max Scherzer ($43.3 million), Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole ($36 million) and Angels outfielder Mike Trout ($35.5 million).
Since the end of the lockout, the Twins also have acquired right-hander Sonny Gray from the Reds and catcher Gary Sanchez and third baseman Gio Urshela from the Yankees.
Correa’s choice was a surprise, given the Twins have lost 18 consecutive postseason games and finished last in the AL Central a year ago at 73-89. The Sox won the division by 13 games over second-place Cleveland.
Correa led the Astros’ turnaround. Houston lost more than 100 games each year from 2011-13, then won its first World Series title in 2017.
The Astros went on to AL pennants and World Series losses in 2019 and last year — when they beat the Sox in the AL Division Series — gaining infamy for their cheating scandal that was revealed after the 2019 season.
Correa had a career-best 26 home runs last year with a .279 batting average and 92 RBI. He finished fifth in AL MVP voting and won his first Gold Glove. In 15 games at Target Field, Correa has a .413 batting average (26-for-63) with five homers and 20 RBI. His 1.205 OPS is his highest at any ballpark where he has played at least four games.
Marlins add World Series MVP Soler
Braves World Series MVP Jorge Soler reportedly agreed to a three-year, $36 million contract with the Marlins. Soler’s deal includes opt-outs after the first two seasons, sources said.
A bit player during the Cubs’ droughtsmashing victory over the Indians five years ago, Soler was voted MVP of Atlanta’s sixgame World Series win over the Astros in 2021. He hit .300 with three home runs and six RBI. His three Series home runs matched the most ever for the Braves.
The deal represents the second big freeagent splurge of the winter for the Marlins, who also signed Avisail Garcia to a four-year, $53 million contract before the lockout.
Soler has 121 home runs and 343 RBI in 661 career games with the Cubs, Royals and Braves.
He led the AL with 48 homers in 2019 and hit 27 home runs in 149 games with the Royals and Braves last season.
Tigers pick up Pineda for rotation
Pitcher Michael Pineda and the Tigers reached a one-year deal, the latest move by a team that has been active before and after the 99-day lockout.
Pineda was 9-8 with a 3.62 ERA for the Twins last season. The 33-year-old righthander went 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA in his final five games, leading the majors in wins in September.
Other deals
The Brewers will be renewing the contract of right-hander Devin Williams for the 2022 season, The Athletic reported. Williams went 8-2 with a 2.50 ERA and had three saves last season.
♦ Infielder Matt Carpenter, a three-time All-Star with the Cardinals, signed a minorleague contract with the Rangers.