Correa springs surprise, agrees to sign with Twins
Star shortstop Carlos Correa agreed early Saturday to a $105.3 million, three-year contract with the Minnesota Twins, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The move ends Correa’s seven-season tenure with the Houston Astros. He will earn $35.1 million annually under the deal and can opt out after the 2022 and 2023 seasons to become a free agent again.
Correa picking the Twins was a surprise, given they have lost 18 consecutive postseason games and finished last in the AL Central a year ago at 73-89.
His average salary becomes baseball’s fourthhighest behind New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer ($43.3 million), Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole ($36 million) and Angels outfielder Mike Trout ($35.5 million).
A two-time All-Star who was the first pick in the 2012 amateur draft, Correa led the Astros’ turnaround. Houston lost more than 100 games each year from 2011-13, then won its first World Series title by beating the Dodgers in seven games in 2017.
The Astros went on to AL pennants and World Series losses in 2019 and last year.
Correa had a career-best 26 home runs last year to go along with a .279 batting average, 92 RBIs and his first Gold Glove. He has a .277 career average with 133 homers and 489 RBIs in seven major league seasons.
Correa, the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year, also has been a stellar postseason performer with 18 homers and 59 RBIs in 79 games. BRAVES SIGN FORMER DODGER JANSEN » The Atlanta Braves signed threetime All-Star closer Kenley Jansen to a $16 million, one-year contract.
The 34-year-old Jansen, who finished with 38 saves and a 2.22 ERA in 69 appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, is expected to take over from Will Smith as the Braves’ closer.
Smith had 37 saves and was especially effective down the stretch and in the postseason for the World Series champions. In the playoffs, Smith had six saves and didn’t allow a run over 11 innings.
Jansen has 350 saves in his 12-year career which had been spent entirely with the Dodgers. PHILLIES, CASTELLANOS AGREE ON DEAL » Slugger Nick Castellanos and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a $100 million, five-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.
Castellanos batted .309 with 34 homers, 100 RBIs and a .939 OPS last .year for the Cincinnati Reds, making his first All-Star team and winning a Silver Slugger Award. He is a .278 career hitter with 168 home runs, 594 RBIs and an .814 OPS in nine major league seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs and Reds.
TIGERS ADD PINEDA TO ROTATION » Veteran starting pitcher Michael Pineda and the Detroit Tigers reached a one-year deal.
Pineda was 9-8 with a 3.62 ERA for Minnesota last season. The 33-year-old right-hander went 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA in his final five games, leading the majors in wins during September.
He is 62-54 with a 3.98 ERA in eight seasons with Seattle, the New York Yankees and the Twins. He was an AL All-Star as a rookie in 2011 with the Mariners. CUBS SIGNING SMYLY » The Chicago Cubs agreed to a one-year contract with pitcher Drew Smyly,
The 32-year-old Smyly went 11-4 with a 4.48 ERA in 29 games, 23 starts for the Braves last year.
Smyly is 46-39 in eight seasons with the Tigers, Rays, Rangers, Phillies, Giants and Braves.