San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Correa goes to Twins on three-year contract
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — An Astros rite of winter spilled into spring. They said farewell to a franchise icon on Saturday, leaving all to wonder whether another enormous void can be filled. Houston has a habit of allowing cornerstones to leave in free agency. The departures of Dallas Keuchel, George Springer and Gerrit Cole conditioned the clubhouse for this outcome.
Rarely has hope for one to return run so rampant or felt so real. Carlos Correa professed love for this city and the teammates in his clubhouse. He transformed from prized wunderkind to playoff hero to a team's voice amid tumult. Two winters ago, the former first overall pick and face of this franchise's renaissance revealed on a team radio show his wish to be an “Astro for life.”
“I thought for sure we definitely had a great chance at getting him,” third baseman Alex Bregman said. “Was definitely surprised this morning when I woke up.”
Many across the sport shared Bregman's disbelief. Beneath the cover of darkness, as Friday night became Saturday morning, Correa and the Minnesota Twins agreed on a contract that makes him the highest-paid infielder in baseball history. The three-year, $105.3 million deal contains two opt-out clauses, allowing Correa to explore free-agency again as early as November.
The deal is pending a physical and, therefore, not official. Astros manager Dusty Baker used the set of semantics to avoid questions about it. Correa changed his Twitter cover photo to an overhead shot of Target Field in Minneapolis. Players in both the Twins and Astros clubhouses spoke in no uncertain terms.
“I'm happy for him,” catcher Martín Maldonado said. “That's the ultimate goal. We understand this is a business and we also know he's a guy that got paid. That's why we play this game, to get paid. I know he loves the fans in Houston. We loved him as a teammate. We're going to miss him, but we're happy for him. We're more than teammates. We're friends.”
Correa left the Astros for something many presumed he'd sworn off. He turned down two contract extensions last spring to bet on himself. Correa won the wager with a wonderful 2021 season but intends to press his luck again. His hope for a more robust and uninterrupted free agent market in 2022 or 2023 — where a longer, more stable deal is realistic — is apparent.
What isn't: why the Astros couldn't construct the sort of deal Minnesota did. They remain nearly $38 million under the competitive balance tax, according to Cot's Contracts. Shortstop is their greatest need. Trevor Story remains a free agent, but why would Houston invest in him if they just let Correa walk?
Two people with knowledge of Correa's situation said the Astros were not close to reuniting with their shortstop. The contents of owner Jim Crane's supposed next offer — or whether it was even made — remain a mystery. The Athletic reported on Tuesday one was imminent. Neither the owner nor general manager James Click showed himself on Saturday at the team's spring training facility.
“The longer it goes, I felt like we had a better chance, I did feel like that,” ace Justin Verlander said. “But at the same time, you just don't know what's going on behind the scenes. I'm not talking to Carlos every day and finding out what's going on. I'm not talking to Click or Crane every day about what's going on.”
“You just don't know in these situations and sometimes last minute teams swoop in. This past year was the first time I'd dealt with free agency and it gets pretty crazy there at the 11th hour. Sometimes the best plans don't unfold the way
you envision them.”
Two times last year, once in March and again in September, Correa reiterated his request for a “big, long” contract. According to Correa, Astros officials told him last spring the team does not believe in them. Their one known offer to him illustrated that. Houston offered him a five-year, $160 million deal during their exclusive, five-day negotiating window following the World Series.
A mega-deal from the Astros never felt realistic. Crane has never given anything longer than a four-year deal to a domestic free agent. In October, the owner said “we have a history of doing something in the neighborhood of five (years) is the most we've ever done since I've been here.”
This spring, Click kept consistently coy in all conversations concerning Correa.
“That's what happens when guys get really good,” catcher Jason Castro said. “You can't keep everybody. We have a lot of guys that have been here for a long time. We're very happy with the core we have here.”
Crane did keep part of it together, approving nine-figure extensions for Bregman and Jose Altuve. Both men are under contract through the 2024 season. If Correa does not exercise the opt outs in his contract with the Twins, he is also a free agent after 2024. Optimizing
that time seems wise. Crane and Click must disagree.
“I was very surprised, like almost everybody here. (I) wish he was here and could have stayed with us, but best of luck to Carlos,” first baseman Yuli Gurriel said through an interpreter. “We spent seven years together. (He's) one of my best teammates and (I'm) never going to forget him. He's always going to have a spot close to him.”
Hindsight allows easy criticism of the Astros, but it is vital to understand how seismically the dynamics shifted since November. Corey Seager's 10-year, $325 million deal with the Texas Rangers established the benchmark to which Correa should have strived. Correa is 148 days younger than Seager. He has been worth 34.1 wins above replacement during his career, according to BaseballReference. Seager is worth 21.3 bWAR. Correa is a better defender and more decorated postseason performer.
Seager signed his contract one day before baseball's owners locked out their players. The work stoppage lasted for more than two months. Correa fired his representation and switched to Seager's agent, Scott Boras, midway through. Maldonado is not Boras, but his frequent communication with Correa allowed him insight to the negotiations few others have.
“Carlos is a really smart guy,”
Maldonado said. “People that talk to him, he's really smart. He knew that after the lockout it was going to be hard to get those years that he wanted, but one thing is the opt-out is something that he really, really wanted. I was with him last week. I know how he feels.”
To hear Maldonado describe it, Correa prioritized re-entry into the free-agent market. Multiple reports said Correa did turn down a 10-year, $275 million offer from the Detroit Tigers prior to the lockout. His desire for a “big, long” contract still remains. This unorthodox, compressed offseason made it more difficult.
“Overall, he's betting on himself again,” Maldonado said. “I know he's going to go out there and have a monster year and then, hopefully, go out to free agency and achieve that goal of a 10-year deal. Even though he didn't get that 10year deal, I'd say he got a pretty good deal money-wise on AAV, though. That's what matters.”
Correa is scheduled to make $35.1 million next season. No infielder has ever had a higher salary. Next season, Correa will be the sport's fourth-highest paid player. Among position players, only Mike Trout will make more money.
The Twins moved third baseman Josh Donaldson and his $51 million salary to New York, clearing payroll space for Correa, who faces a variety of options contingent on performance. If Minnesota struggles, Correa is an obvious trade chip in July. If Correa struggles, he has the guarantee of a $35.1 million salary in 2023.
Correa's best case scenario is still simple. If he carries momentum from 2021 and has anything resembling a similar season, he will exercise his opt-out and again enter free agency. Correa will be only 28. Teams with needs at shortstop could line up for his services.
The Astros seem content to send rookie Jeremy Peña out to fill Correa's absence on opening day. His first signs of a struggle will send the fanbase clamoring for Correa. Crane may again maintain that it's an option.
“I've been around this game long enough to know that, first and foremost, it's a business,” Verlander said. “As much as we or the fanbase wants something to happen, sometimes it just doesn't. I've been around long enough to see that. I'm excited for Carlos. Obviously he made the best decision for himself and his family. At some point in everybody's career, you realize that this is a business.”