The Carlos Correa Free Agency Saga, Part II, has become even more absurd than Part I.
Should Twins fans get their hopes up again about Carlos Correa?
Reports suggesting the Twins have re-emerged as a possibility to land Correa are intriguing, but they also must be considered in a larger context.
January 6, 2023 at 9:48PM
More than three weeks ago, Correa agreed to a 13-year, $350 million deal with the Giants — only to have that fall apart because of medical concerns. The Mets swooped in and negotiated a 12-year, $315 million deal with the prize shortstop.
It seemed as though the Twins — who stunned many by getting Correa on a short-term deal last year — had lost out twice, with their best offer of 10 years and $285 million having come up short.
But here we are more than two weeks removed from the Mets and Correa seemingly forming a union, and nothing is official. And now there are reported rumblings that the deal could be falling apart — and that the Twins could be squarely back in the mix.
Of particular note:
- Former MLB GM and current baseball insider Jim Bowden said Friday morning on MLB Network Radio: "There is a possibility the Minnesota Twins come in and just go pick out Correa right under the New York Mets' noses. It's a strong possibility."
Notably, Bowden also said the Twins are "willing to do a little bit more risk on the medicals" than the Giants or Mets, which could be a key to getting any deal done.
- The New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Thursday that the Twins have been in contact with Correa's agent, Scott Boras, as the deal with the Mets stalls over medical concerns and contract language. Heyman did quote a Mets source as saying he didn't think Mets owner Steve Cohen would let Correa go, though, suggesting a deal is still likely to happen.
- SNY Baseball Insider Andy Martino reported Friday that the Mets are "very frustrated" with Correa's camp and are considering walking away from the deal.
Now, what we need to remember in all of this is that both sides are likely in heavy posturing mode right now. Boras' camp wants the Mets to feel urgency to complete the deal, so any information about other teams talking to Correa is coming from that side.
And any news about the Mets being frustrated is almost certainly coming from the Mets' side, with the intent of putting some pressure on Boras and Correa to compromise on some element of the deal if Correa really wants to be in New York.
But all of this has been weird enough and lasted long enough that another Correa deal falling through, and the shortstop winding up back in Minnesota, is hardly impossible.
When he was hired after the disastrous 2016 season to reshape the Twins, Derek Falvey brought a reputation for identifying and developing pitching talent. It took a while, but the pipeline we were promised is now materializing.
