Details vague on keeping Correa
Click, Crane don’t give insight on how talks might unfold
Astros owner Jim Crane and general manager James Click on Friday re-emphasized their desire to re-sign free agent shortstop Carlos Correa but were vague about what those efforts will entail.
“Carlos Correa’s been a huge part of this organization and obviously we are going to put our best foot forward to try to make sure that continues,” Click said. “But the nature of free agency is that there are 30 teams out there, and Carlos is going to make the best decision for him and his family. We obviously hope that that’s Houston, but we are going to put our best foot forward but we have to be responsible for the team and make sure that we put a winning team out there. Carlos Correa is a champion. He’s a winning player. It’s just going to be a conversation to see if we can line that up that he can come back here, but we hope he will.”
The Astros twice offered Correa a contract extension in spring training, the first at six years for around $120 million and the second a five-year, $125 million contract. Correa rejected both deals and said he was seeking a “big, long contract.” Crane did not get into specifics Friday when asked how negotiations with Correa might unfold.
“Well, I guess you're looking for a number. I mean, we kind of know where he’s looking,” Crane said. “But listen, we’re going to try to sit down and put, as you just said, put our best foot forward, give him something that we think fits into our formula and hope it fits into his formula. As James said earlier, I love Carlos just like everybody else. In fact, I’ll see him tomorrow night at an event. So we’re still supporting him. He’s been a great player for this city. He’s a fine young man. He does a lot of charity work around town, and I admire the way he handles himself so hopefully we’ll be able to get something done.”
Correa is the youngest shortstop in the free-agent market. He often compares himself to Francisco Lindor, the New York Mets shortstop that signed a 10year, $341 million contract this winter. Correa is worth 34.1 wins above replacement, ac
cording to Baseball-Reference. Lindor is worth 31.1.
The deadline for teams to extend a qualifying offer to free agents is 5 p.m. ET on Sunday. If a player turns down a qualifying offer and then signs with another team, his original team receives a compensatory draft pick. The reported value of a qualifying offer this year is $18.4 million for one year, a contract Correa would presumably reject. If the Astros make Correa that offer, it would be a formality.
The Astros could also extend a qualifying offer to injured pitcher Justin Verlander, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery he received in September 2020. Although Crane previously said Verlander was seeking a contract “of some length” and said the Astros would “probably” give him a qualifying offer, he appeared to slightly walk that back Friday.
“We mentioned earlier that we would consider a qualifying offer — I think Sunday is the deadline — so stay tuned on that one,” Crane said. “I know he's in good shape. I've talked to him a couple times. He's a competitor. I wouldn't count him out."