As Jeff Passan of ESPN reported, Carlos Correa has signed a massive contract with the San Francisco Giants. The Giants signed the all-star infielder for 13 years and $350 million. The deal marks the 4th-largest guarantee in MLB history behind Mike Trout ($426.5 million), Mookie Betts ($365 million), and Aaron Judge ($360 million).
BREAKING: Shortstop Carlos Correa and the San Francisco Giants are in agreement on a 13-year, $350 million contract, a source familiar with the deal tells ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 14, 2022
Correa, 28, is coming off of a season in which he played 136 games with the Minnesota Twins. In 2022, he hit .291/.366/.467, with an OPS of .834. Power-wise he had 22 home runs and 24 doubles. In terms of productivity, he scored 70 runs and drove in 64. Additionally, Correa had a WAR of 5.4, which was tenth in the American League. After the 2021 season, he signed a 3-year $105 million contract with the Minnesota Twins but opted out after the team missed the postseason. Correa is a two-time All-Star and the 2021 AL Platinum Glove winner.
Correa’s Career
Carlos Correa is a native of Puerto Rico and was selected first overall in the 2012 draft by the Houston Astros. The first Puerto Rican to be taken first overall in an MLB draft. After three seasons in the minors, he made his major league debut on June 8, 2015. He would go on to be voted the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year. In his third season with Houston, Correa earned his first all-star selection and helped lead the Astros to their first title. In his seven seasons with the Astros, his best season came in 2021, when he hit. 279/.366/.485 with 26 home runs and 92 RBI.
Correa finished fifth in AL MVP voting. Following the 2021 season, he signed a three-year deal with Minnesota, opting out of the agreement after one season. He was one of the four shortstops highlighting this off-season alongside Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, and Dansby Swanson. After Turner and Bogaerts signed with new teams, Correa was next to come off the board.
What to expect from Correa?
The biggest motivator for Carlos Correa is to play with a contending team. Signing a contract with the San Francisco Giants allows him to be a part of a contender for years to come. While 2022 was a subpar season by his standard, this is still a viable asset on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he hits near the top of the lineup on every team in the league. Usually, a healthy Correa can produce 150 hits a season with 25 home runs. As one of the most consistent leaders in WAR, he is a valuable weapon in the Giants’ lineup.
However, some could argue that Correa is a better defensive player. As a shortstop last season, he led the American League in Fielding Percentage. As one of baseball’s biggest stars, it will be exciting to see how Correa does in the next 13 seasons with the Giants. Hopefully, he will get another World Series ring.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
Players mentioned:
Carlos Correa, Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Aaron Judge, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, Dansby Swanson
