The Minnesota Twins had themselves a busy offseason, though none of it came in free agency. They swung trades that brought in Sonny Gray from the Cincinnati Reds and Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela from the New York Yankees to mix up the roster.
Then, in the middle of the night, they swooped in to snag one of the most highly coveted free agents. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Twins signed Carlos Correa to a three-year contract that makes him the highest-paid infielder in MLB. The deal also features two opt-outs.
Shortstop Carlos Correa and the Minnesota Twins are in agreement on a three-year, $105.3 million contract that includes opt-outs after the first two seasons, sources confirm to ESPN. First with the deal was @MarkBermanFox26.
Wow.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 19, 2022
Correa had been pursued heavily since free agency opened. The Houston Astors star shortstop is a two-way beast that developed into one of the game's best defenders last season, winning the Platinum Glove while recording 155 hits, 26 home runs and an OPS of .850 in 148 games. There was growing momentum for him to return to Houston and he was linked to numerous other teams like the Yankees and Chicago Cubs. Minnesota shockingly ended up with the grand prize.
The Twins were previously linked to another star shortstop, Trevor Story. But even with Story still available, they signed Correa and plug him into an infield with Jorge Polanco. Minnesota also boasts Byron Buxton in center field, making for a pretty solid star trio.
The opt-outs force the Twins to keep making moves. They need more pitching behind Gray and other hitters, particularly in the outfield. After winning just 73 games last season, they still have work to do. Still, landing Correa is a huge move that should help get them back in playoff contention.
Follow Us
Subscribe