The Mets swing and miss on Carlos Correa after all originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
If you’re a Mets fan who jumped the gun and shelled out for some knockoff Carlos Correa jersey, you’re probably in a world of hurt.
Correa signed his third nine-figure contract of the Major League Baseball offseason Tuesday, inking a six-year, $200 million deal with the Twins that can reach a maximum value of $270 million, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported:
The news comes less than two months after Correa’s first reported mega-deal, a 13-year pact with the Giants, and just three weeks after his second reported mega-deal, a 12-year pact with the Mets.
Instead of San Francisco or New York, Correa will instead return to Minnesota where he played one season in 2022 after seven in Houston.
The loss of Correa means the Metropolitans will turn to names like Eduardo Escobar, Luis Guillorme, and Brett Baty to fill the hole at the hot corner in 2023. The Mets have had another pricey and solid offseason, but the loss of Correa as their true big fish has to bite the Phillies‘ in-division rivals.
Questions still abound about issues with Correa’s physicals, which reportedly caused his deals with the Giants and Mets to stall and wither on the vine. Importantly, his deal with the Twins is also pending a physical – though he played for Minnesota last season, which would seem to indicate the franchise being comfortable enough with his physical status to pay him.
Interestingly enough, though, Correa’s reported deal with the Twins is both shorter and cheaper than his initial two deals with the Giants and Mets. That certainly has something to do with playing in Minnesota versus one of the two coastal powers who originally sought his services, but it also might have something to do with the issues on his physical. Only a few people know for certain.
Correa, 28, played 136 games at shortstop last year for the Twins and hit .291 with an .834 OPS, hitting 22 home runs and driving in 64 RBI while posting a .983 fielding percentage.
Correa, along with new Phillie Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, and Dansby Swanson, was considered one of four prime shortstop free agents this offseason. Bogaerts landed in San Diego, and Swanson wound up on the Cubs. Turner’s deal wound up being the richest of the four players in total value, but Correa’s carries the highest average annual value.