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Carlos Correa

Twins Notes: Correa, Lewis, Julien, Wallner, Buxton

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Carlos Correa was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and a muscle strain in his left foot back in late May. The Twins shortstop has played through the issue, avoiding the injured list all season.

It hasn’t been a banner year for the two-time All-Star, whose .226/.309/.398 line through 511 plate appearances is among the worst of his career. It’s not hard to connect the dots, as Correa has spoken about playing through continued discomfort on a few occasions.

Correa expanded on the injury in a recent chat with Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. The 28-year-old called it the most painful issue through which he’s played in his career. Correa rather candidly told Rosenthal he “probably would have sat out more time to let it heal” were he an impending free agent but indicated he feels the team needs him to remain as a steadying presence on the active roster — even if his production is below his typical level.

Skipper Rocco Baldelli has pencilled Correa in at shortstop for 117 of Minnesota’s 132 games. He’s logged over 1000 innings, rating as a marginally above-average defender by measure of Defensive Runs Saved and Statcast’s Outs Above Average. Public metrics have loved Correa’s glove in previous seasons, none more so than in 2021 when he rated anywhere nine and 20 runs above average by measure of OAA and DRS en route to a Platinum Glove award. It stands to reason the foot injury is also playing a role in limiting his mobility on that side of the ball, as Correa’s sprint speed is at a personal-low level.

Perhaps the Twins’ place in the standings will enable them to sprinkle in a few more rest days. Minnesotas optioned starter Bailey Ober to Triple-A this evening in a move that seems largely motivated by a desire to keep an eye on his personal-high innings total. After beating the Guardians tonight, the Twins hold a seven-game margin in the AL Central. While the division isn’t quite sewn up, it’s possible they’ll be in position to ease off a lot of their regulars by the second half of September to keep players fresh headed into the postseason.

While the weakness of the division is a big reason for Minnesota’s comfortable place in the standings, the Twins have also simply played well of late. They’re 24-17 in the second half and have matched their season high by pulling six games above .500 at 69-63. As Aaron Gleeman writes for The Athletic, the Twins’ strong rookie core has played a big role in that success.

Minnesota has received well above-average play from each of Royce Lewis, Edouard Julien and Matt Wallner. None of that trio began the season on the active roster. Lewis started on the injured list rehabbing from a second straight year with a torn ACL. Julien and Wallner opened the year in Triple-A. They’re now all healthy and playing regular roles thanks to their strong performances.

Lewis has secured the third base job, which had been up for grabs after José Miranda struggled early on. The former first overall pick is up to a .317/.366/.521 line through 153 plate appearances after tonight’s game, in which he hit a grand slam off Cleveland righty Xzavion Curry. Lewis had connected on a grand slam in yesterday’s extra-inning win over Texas as well, becoming the first player in franchise history to hit one in consecutive contests.

Julien is working as the primary designated hitter. The lefty-hitting infielder had manned second base while Jorge Polanco was on the shelf. While he struggled defensively, he’s been an excellent offensive player, putting together a .285/.378/.478 line in 292 trips to the plate. Wallner, meanwhile, has grabbed the left field corner opposite Max Kepler with 10 homers, six doubles and a triple through 156 plate appearances. That has pushed the struggling Joey Gallo into a platoon center field role alongside Michael A. Taylor.

Minnesota could soon welcome Byron Buxton back into the outfield rotation. The Twins had limited the Gold Glove winner to designated hitter early in the season in an effort to keep him healthy. Buxton nevertheless landed on the injured list with a hamstring strain a few weeks ago, but he doesn’t seem far off a return. He went through an on-field workout today and could soon head on a minor league rehab stint, tweets Darren Wolfson of SKOR North. The Twins are expected to give Buxton center field reps on that assignment as they evaluate his readiness to handle defensive work for the final few weeks.

Carlos Correa Diagnosed With Plantar Fasciitis And Muscle Strain In Left Foot

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Twins shortstop Carlos Correa has been diagnosed with a muscle strain in his left foot arch and plantar fasciitis, per John Shipley of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Correa hasn’t yet been placed on the injured list but it seems like that’s still on the table. “I think we get to Friday and some of our decisions might be made for us,” manager Rocco Baldelli says.

Correa sat out yesterday’s game with a bruised left heel and he had an MRI, per Dan Hayes of MLB.com. Although some inflammation was found, it seemed like a minor issue that could allow him to return in a few days and he sat out today’s contest as well. Now it seems that further testing has found that the issue is a bit more serious than initially thought and the club will have to decide whether to put him officially on the shelf or play shorthanded for a few days.

Many fans will read about Correa’s foot and immediately think of the hoopla that surrounded his free agency this winter when he twice had nine-figure agreements scuttled by health concerns. He and the Giants agreed to a 13-year, $350MM deal but they backed out at the last second, leading Correa to pivot to the Mets and a 12-year, $315MM deal. Both of those clubs became wary over the health of Correa’s ankle, though that was in his right leg while this week’s issue is with Correa’s left foot.

When those deals fell through, Correa landed with the Twins on a six-year, $200MM deal with four vesting options that could take the full payout to $270MM over 10 years. The shortstop has scuffled out of the gate here in 2023, currently hitting .213/.302/.396 through 192 plate appearances for a 92 wRC+. That’s well shy of his career output but it’s likely that poor fortune is playing a role, as his .252 batting average on balls in play is well below his .315 career mark.

It would be fair to expect Correa to get better results going forward via positive regression but that might have to wait a bit, depending on how long this foot injury lingers. Though it doesn’t seem like this is especially concerning on its own, the club is dealing with a growing injury problem overall. Infielder/outfielder Joey Gallo missed today’s game with a sore hamstring, per Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com, and the club might want to rest him a few more times. Unlike Correa, Gallo is out to a roaring start this year, hitting 11 home runs already while walking in 14.2% of his plate appearances. That’s led to a .211/.328/.561 batting line and 141 wRC+.

The Twins also have six position players on the injured list, with Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler, Trevor Larnach, Nick Gordon, Gilberto Celestino and Royce Lewis all on the shelf. While the issues of Correa and Gallo seem to be on the minor side, it will continue to test their depth during a time when it’s already being stretched. Since the club was largely undone by injuries in 2022, they will surely be hoping for a bit better luck in that department in the months to come as they look to hang onto their slim lead in the American League Central.

List Of Players On Track For 10-And-5 Rights

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In baseball parlance, players are often said to have “10-and-5 rights” or the player might be described as a “10-and-5 guy.” Any player who has 10 or more years of service time and has been with his current club for five or more consecutive years gets veto power over any trade involving them. This essentially functions the same as a no-trade clause, which players can negotiate into their contracts. But with 10-and-5 rights, the right is gained automatically once the conditions are met. There is often overlap, as players that have no-trade clauses will eventually earn 10-and-5 rights as well, which makes it a moot point in those cases.

A player’s status as a 10-and-5 player can impact trade negotiations, as players like Adam Jones and Brandon Phillips have used it blocked trades in the past. Also, a team may sometimes trade a player on the cusp of reaching 10-and-5 status, since it becomes harder to line up a deal once the player has that veto power. The Rays traded Evan Longoria to the Giants in the 2017-2018 offseason, when his service time was at nine years and 170 days, meaning he would have earned 10-and-5 rights just two days into the 2018 campaign.

Listed below are the players who currently have 10-and-5 rights, as well as those who are approaching that mark. For instances where service time is mentioned, keep in mind that an MLB season has 187 days but a player’s service time “year” flips over at 172.

Currently Have 10-and-5 Rights

Altuve has over 11 years of service time and has spent it all with the Astros. It’s a fairly moot point as his current deal, which runs through 2024, contains a full no-trade clause. The club is also more likely to give him another extension than trade him.

Blackmon has over 10 years of service time and all of it with the Rockies. He triggered a player option for 2023, after which he will be a free agent.

Cabrera will reach 20 years of service this year and has been with the Tigers since 2008. He is in the final guaranteed year of his contract, with a couple of vesting options that aren’t a factor since he needs to finish in the top 10 in MVP voting the year prior in order to trigger them. He’s been fairly open about how he’s quite likely to retire at the end of the current season.

Crawford has over 11 years of service, all of it with the Giants. He’s slated for free agency at the end of this season.

Kershaw has over 14 years of experience at this point, all of it with the Dodgers. A trade wouldn’t seem plausible anyway, as he and the club seem to have a nice relationship with each other. He’s re-signed on one-year deals in each of the past two offseasons, seemingly keeping the door open to retirement whenever he decides it’s time.

Perez has spent his entire career with the Royals, which has pushed him past the 11-year mark in terms of service time. His current deal runs through 2025 with a club option for 2026.

Sale has gone beyond the 12-year service time mark and is now in his sixth season with the Red Sox. The extension he signed with the club in March of 2019 gave him a full no-trade clause in the middle of the 2020 campaign. He’s been floated as a speculative trade candidate if the Sox fall out of contention this year, though Sale would have to approve such a deal. His current contract runs through 2024 with a club option for 2025.

Stanton has over 12 years in the big leagues now and is in his sixth campaign as a Yankee. His deal runs through 2027 with a club option for 2028.

Strasburg has beyond 12 years of service right now, all of it with the Nationals. The club’s deal with the right-hander after their 2019 World Series victory went south immediately, as he’s tossed just over 30 innings since then and doesn’t seem near any kind of return. That contract has a full no-trade clause and runs through 2026.

Trout has more than 11 years of service and all of it with the Angels. He already had full no-trade protection from his current contract, which runs through 2030. Some have speculated that the club could look to move Trout and do a full rebuild if Shohei Ohtani departs in free agency after this year. If the Angels ever did consider such a plan, Trout would have to be okay with the destination.

Votto is over 15 years of service at this point, all of it with the Reds. He’s had full no-trade protection since signing his ten-year extension in April of 2012. That deal is now in its final guaranteed year, with the club having a $20MM option for 2024 that comes with a $7MM buyout.

Wainwright has over 17 years of major league service time, all of that with the Cardinals. He re-signed with the club for 2023 and has full no-trade protection from that deal. He is planning to retire after this season.

Will Gain 10-and-5 Rights This Year

Corbin already has over 10 years of service time and is currently in his fifth season with the Nationals. His six-year deal, which runs through 2024, contains partial no-trade protection but he will have 10-and-5 rights at the end of the 2023 campaign. The Nats would probably love to move him but he’s been getting worse in each year of the deal, with his ERA climbing from 3.25 in the first season to 4.66, 5.82 and 6.31, with his 2023 mark currently at 7.71. The backloaded deal will pay him $24MM this year and $35MM next year, meaning he would need a spectacular turnaround in order to have any trade appeal at all.

Goldschmidt has over 11 years of service time but only came over to the Cardinals for the 2019 season, making this his fifth year with the club. It’s a moot point since Goldy got a full no-trade in his most recent extension, which runs through 2024.

Harper has over 10 years of service already and is in his fifth season with the Phillies. His 13-year deal comes with full no-trade protection anyway, and it’s not like the Phils have any interest in trading him. The deal goes through 2031.

Hicks has been with the Yankees since 2016 and came into this season with his service time at 9.041. That means he’s slated to have 10-and-5 rights in August, just after the trade deadline. The extension he signed with the club in 2019 did not have any no-trade protection, though Hicks would get a $1MM assignment bonus if he were traded. He’s perhaps the most notable player on this list, given that he actually seemed like a viable trade candidate in the most recent offseason, though no deal has come together as of yet. His contract pays him $10.5MM this year and then $9.5MM in the next two years with a $12.5MM club option for 2026 with a $1MM buyout. If the Yanks want to get this deal off the books, they should probably do it in the next few months. Then again, Hicks has been pretty open about his frustrations with his reduced role of late, speaking to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic about it recently. Perhaps he wouldn’t mind a change of scenery that results in more playing time.

LeMahieu has already surpassed the 10-year service time mark and is in his fifth campaign as a Yankee. His current deal, which runs through 2026, affords him full no-trade protection already.

Machado has over 10 years of service and is in his fifth campaign as a Padre. He already has full no-trade via his contract, which runs through 2033.

Pressly has been with the Astros since July of 2018, meaning he’ll reach five years with the club this summer. He also came into the year with his service time at 9.039, meaning he’ll get to 10 years in August. Pressly has emerged as one of the best relievers in baseball during his time in Houston and has twice agreed to an extension with the club, so a trade doesn’t seem especially likely. His current deal goes through 2024 with a vesting option for 2025.

Yelich is in his sixth season as a Brewer and will get to 10 years of service this season, but it’s a moot point since he has a full no-trade clause in his extension, which runs through 2028 with a mutual option for 2029.

Could Gain 10-and-5 Under Current Contract

Acuna came into this season with just under five years of service time, meaning he won’t get to the 10-year mark until early in the 2028 season. His extension runs through 2026 with two club options. He’s one of the best players in the league and is underpaid on his deal, so Atlanta won’t be looking to deal him unless they fall way out of contention between now and then.

Albies has over five years of service and will get to 10 years in 2027. His extension goes through 2025 with a pair of club options. Similar to Acuna, he’s an excellent player who is on a club-friendly deal, meaning he won’t be a trade candidate unless something horrible happens to the team’s long-term fortunes.

Arenado will cross ten years of service here in 2023 but it’s only his third season as a Cardinal, meaning he’ll have 10-and-5 status after the 2025 season. That’s mostly just a footnote though, since Arenado’s extension with the Rockies came will full no-trade protection, which he waived to become a Cardinal. He seems quite content in St. Louis and chose not to opt-out of his deal at the end of 2022, even though he could have likely got more money on the open market.

Báez came into this season with his service at 7.089, meaning he’ll get to 10 years about halfway into the 2025 season. This is just his second year as a Tiger, meaning he’ll get to 10-and-5 status after 2026, when he will have one year left on his six-year deal. That contract affords Báez limited no-trade protection, which allows him to block trades to 10 teams each year, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Báez can also opt out after this year, though that doesn’t seem to be a strong possibility based on his performance as a Tiger thus far.

Berríos comes into this season with his service time at 6.044, which puts him in line to get to 10 years late in the 2026 season. He’ll also get to five years with the Blue Jays at the end of July in that year, since he was acquired from the Twins at the deadline in 2021. His extension, which runs through 2028, affords him an opt-out after that 2026 season and gives him an eight-team no-trade list, per Gregor Chisholm of The Toronto Star.

Betts has a service count of 8.070, meaning he’ll get to 10 years in the middle parts of next year. He’s been with the Dodgers since 2020, meaning he’ll get to 10-and-5 at the end of the 2024 season. Given his excellent production on a consistent competitor like the Dodgers, he doesn’t stand out as a trade candidate anyway, unless something changes drastically. His extension runs through 2032.

Bogaerts only just joined the Padres, but his 11-year deal means he’ll be a 10-and-5 guy after 2027. That doesn’t really matter since he has a full no-trade clause on his deal anyway, making it likely he’s a Padre through 2033.

Bryant is in just his second campaign as a Rockie but will be a 10-and-5 guy after 2026. He already has a full no-trade clause in his contract, which runs through 2028.

Buxton already has a full no-trade clause on the extension he and the Twins signed in November of 2021. He has between six and seven years of service time and will pass 10 years in 2026, with his deal running through 2028.

Castillo came into this season with his service time at 5.101, putting him in line to get to 10 years a couple of months into 2027. He’ll also get to the five-year mark with the Mariners midway through that season, having been acquired in July of 2022. His contract runs through 2027 with a vesting/club option for 2028. He has full no-trade protection on that deal but only for the first three years, which starts this year. That means his ability to block a trade will be gone at the end of the 2025 season but return in late July 2027.

Cole will get to 10 years of service here in 2023 but won’t have five years as a Yankee until the end of 2024. It’s a moot point anyway since his contract, which runs through 2028, gives him full no-trade protection. He can opt out after 2024 but the team can void that by triggering a club option for 2029.

Contreras has over six years of service time and will pass the 10-year mark in 2026. Since he just signed with the Cardinals, he won’t have five years with the club until the end of 2027. That will be the last guaranteed season of the five-year deal, though there’s a club option for 2028.

Correa will get to 10 years of service in 2025 but won’t have five years as a Twin until after 2026. His 10-and-5 status is a footnote anyway, since he has a full no-trade clause already.

Cronenworth has been with the Padres since the start of 2020, meaning he came into this year with exactly three years of service time. He won’t get to 10 years until the end of the 2029 campaign but he just signed an extension with the club that runs through 2030. He has an eight-team no-trade clause on that deal.

Darvish has over 11 years of service time now but won’t have five years as a Padre until after 2025. He recently signed an extension that runs through 2028, which affords him full no-trade protection.

deGrom only just joined the Rangers on a five-year deal, though there’s a conditional option for 2028. It’s a moot point anyway since he already has a full no-trade clause in the deal.

Devers came into this season with his service clock at 5.070, meaning he’ll get to the 10-year mark midway through 2027. His extension, which runs through 2033, does not give him any no-trade rights. It seems unlikely that the Sox would try to move Devers, since he seemed to be the one superstar they were intent on keeping while trading Betts and letting Bogaerts get away. But if something changes years down the road and they start considering a Devers deal, it would get harder after his 10-and-5 rights kick in.

Despite being on the injured list and likely to miss all of 2023, this will be the fifth season as a Met for Diaz. He’ll get to 10 years of service in 2026 but has full no-trade protection on his deal, which runs through 2027 with an option for 2028. He can opt out after 2025.

Flores will get to 10 years of service here in 2023 but won’t have five years as a Giant until after 2024. That’s the last guaranteed year of his extension, but there’s a dual option for 2025. Flores will have a $3.5MM player option and, if he declines, the club will have a $8.5MM option.

Freeland came into this year with a service count of 5.144, meaning he’ll get to 10 years early in 2027. His extension is only guaranteed through 2026, though there’s a $17MM player option for 2027, which is contingent on Freeland tossing 170 innings in 2026. The Rockies rarely trade their core players even when it’s fairly logical to do so, but it’s possible this could become noteworthy as the contract winds down.

Freeman already has over 12 years of service time but is in just his second season as a Dodger. He’ll have 10-and-5 rights after 2026, when his deal will have one year and $27MM remaining on it.

Franco came into 2023 with his service time at just 1.104, meaning he won’t get to 10 years until midway through 2031. His deal goes through 2032 with a club option for 2023. Most teams wouldn’t give much thought to trading a face-of-the-franchise player like Franco, but the Rays are always frugal and already went down this road once. As mentioned up top, they dealt Longoria just as his 10-and-5 rights were about to kick in. Franco doesn’t have any no-trade protection but would get an extra $3MM if he’s ever dealt.

Gimenez has just 2.106 as a service time count, but he just signed an extension that runs through 2029 with a club option for 2030. He’ll cross the 10-year service mark during that 2030 campaign.

Harris didn’t even play a full season last year but was awarded a full year of service time anyway by winning Rookie of the Year. He signed an eight-year extension with the club that runs through 2030 with a couple of club options after that. He’ll be a 10-and-5 guy at the end of the 2031 campaign if the first of those options is triggered.

Hayes comes into 2023 with his service clock at 2.075, putting him on a path to reach 10 years during the 2030 campaign. His deal with the Pirates is only guaranteed through 2029 but there’s a club option for 2030.

Hendricks had a service time count of 8.081 at the start of this season, meaning he’ll get to 10 years midway through 2024. This is the last guaranteed year of his extension, with a $16MM club option for 2024 with a $1.5MM buyout. Hendricks has struggled in the past two seasons and hasn’t yet pitched this year after suffering a capsular tear in his throwing shoulder last year. It seems unlikely that option gets picked up unless he gets healthy and has a tremendous showing in the second half of this year.

Judge has a full no-trade clause in his mega-deal with the Yankees, and it’s hard to fathom the club wanting to deal him anyway. He will get to 10 years of service time in 2026.

Lindor started this year with a service count of 7.113, meaning he will get to 10 years of service in 2025. That will also be his fifth year as a Met. He currently has a 15-team no-trade clause as part of his extension, which runs through 2031.

Marte has been with the Diamondbacks since 2017 and will surpass the 10-year service mark in 2026, with his service clock at 6.162 coming into this year. His extension runs through 2027 with a club option for 2028.

McCullers has spent his entire career as an Astro and will cross the 10-year threshold in 2025, coming into this year with a service tally of 7.140. The extension he signed with the club in 2021 runs through 2026 and has limited no-trade protection.

McMahon has been with the Rockies for his entire career with a service tally of 5.006 coming into this year. That puts him on pace to get to 10 years of service in 2027, the final year of the extension he recently signed with the club. He could potentially earn opt-out opportunities after 2025 and 2026 based on MVP voting.

Murphy came into this year with his service time at 3.029, meaning he won’t get to 10 years until 2029. His recent extension with Atlanta goes through 2028 with a club option for 2029.

Musgrove will get to 10 years of service time in 2026, which will be his sixth as a Padre. His extension, which runs through 2027, gives him a full no-trade clause through 2026. He only has limited no-trade protection in 2027 but he’ll be a 10-and-5 guy by then.

Nimmo has been a Met for his entire career and will get to the 10-year service mark in 2026, but he has a full no-trade clause on his contract anyway.

Olson has a service tally of just 5.103 and isn’t slated to cross the 10-year mark until 2027. His extension with Atlanta runs through 2029 with a club option for 2030.

Ozuna came into this season with his service clock at 9.124, meaning he’ll be at 10 years in May. However, this is just his fourth year with Atlanta, meaning he won’t be a 10-and-5 guy until after 2024. That’s the final guaranteed year of his deal, though there is a $16MM club option for 2025. It’s highly unlikely he’s still with the club at that time, since this deal is generally considered to be underwater both due to his poor performance and off-field issues. It’s already been speculated that the club may release him before the deal is finished, making it hard to envision a trade or the option eventually being picked up.

Ramírez has spent his entire career with Cleveland and will get to 10 years of service in 2024. It’s a moot point as his extension, which runs through 2028, has a full no-trade clause.

Realmuto is currently in his fifth year with the Phillies and had a service count of 8.038 coming into the year. That puts him on pace for 10-and-5 status towards the end of next year. His deal doesn’t have any no-trade protection, but he does get a $1MM bonus every time he’s dealt. He’s under contract through 2025, which will be his age-34 season.

Rendon will get to 10 years of service here in 2023 but it’s just his fourth season as an Angel. He’ll get to 10-and-5 status after 2024 but already has full no-trade protection on his contract, which runs through 2026.

Riley came into 2023 with a service count of 3.138, which puts him on track to pass 10 years early in 2029. His deal runs through 2032 with a club option for 2033.

Rodón will get to 10 years of service in 2025 and then have five years as a Yankee after 2027, when he’ll have one year left on his six-year deal. The 10-and-5 status will be irrelevant, however, as he already has full no-trade protection.

J-Rod has just the one year of service time so far but recently signed a convoluted mega-extension that could potentially end up lasting 18 years. He has full no-trade protection as part of that, making his eventual 10-and-5 status moot.

Ruiz had just 1.064 as a service count coming into this year but recently agreed to a lengthy extension with the Nats that runs through 2030 with two club options after that. He’s currently on pace for 10-and-5 rights in 2031.

Seager will get to 10 years of service in 2025 but won’t have five years as a Ranger until the end of 2026. He has limited no-trade protection on his deal, which runs through 2031.

Semien will get to 10 years of service in 2024 but won’t have five years in Texas until after 2026. He doesn’t have any no-trade protection on his deal, which runs through 2028.

Senzatela came into this year with a service tally of 5.106, putting him on pace to get to 10 years a few months into 2027. His extension with the Rockies is only guaranteed through 2026, but there’s a $14MM club option for 2027.

Springer will get to 10 years of service early in 2024 but is in just his third season as a Blue Jay right now. His six-year deal runs through 2026 and he’ll get 10-and-5 status after 2025. He currently has an eight-team no-trade clause.

Story will get to 10 years of service after 2025 but won’t have five years with Boston until after 2026. His deal, which runs through 2027, does not have any no-trade protection. He can opt out after 2025, but the team can void that by preemptively exercising an option for 2028.

Swanson only just joined the Cubs on a seven-year deal. By the end of 2027, he’ll have five years with the club and be well beyond 10 years of service, though it’s a moot point since he already has full no-trade protection.

Tatis has between three and four years of service, putting him on track for 10-and-5 in 2029, but he already has full no-trade protection on his extension which runs through 2034.

Taylor came into this year with a service count of 7.037, putting him on pace to get to 10 years late in the 2025 season. He’s already been with the Dodgers since partway through the 2016 campaign. His contract is guaranteed through 2025 with a club option for 2026. He doesn’t currently have any no-trade protection, but he does get a $2MM assignment bonus each time he’s dealt, and a trade would also increase the value of his option.

Turner just joined the Phillies but will get to 10-and-5 status after 2027. Like many others on the list, that designation doesn’t really matter for him, since his 11-year deal already affords him full no-trade protection.

Scott Boras Discusses Carlos Correa’s Free Agency Saga

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The league’s biggest story over the past month has been the winding saga involving Carlos Correa’s free agency. The two-time All-Star had agreements with the Giants and Mets each fall through after the teams raised concerns about the status of his right ankle during their physical examinations. After weeks of twists and turns, Correa returned to the Twins — where he’d spent the 2022 campaign.

Correa’s agent, Scott Boras, addressed the situation in an interview with Bob Nightengale of USA Today over the weekend. The agent expressed frustration with the Mets, telling Nightengale the New York club relied upon the same doctor who had raised concerns with Correa’s ankle while consulting for the Giants. The shortstop himself said the same last week in an interview with Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. Both USA Today and Dan Martin/Jon Heyman of the New York Post each wrote over the weekend that Dr. Robert Anderson — a Wisconsin-based foot/ankle specialist who also has ample experience working with NFL players — was the orthopedist who consulted with team physicians for both San Francisco and New York.

“I don’t understand the Mets,” Boras told Nightengale. “I gave them all of the information. We had them talk to four doctors. They knew the issue the Giants had. And yet, they still call the same doctor the Giants used for his opinion. There was no new information. So why negotiate a contract if you were going to rely on the same doctor? It was different with the Giants because a doctor had an opinion they didn’t know about. But the Mets had notice of this. They knew the opinion of the Giants. So why did you negotiate when you know this thing in advance?”

Correa’s camp pivoted quickly to the Mets after the agreement with the Giants fell through. That wasn’t the case when New York expressed concerns with the physical. Boras and the Mets spent nearly two weeks in exclusive negotiations, with the team seeking drastic modification of the original 12-year, $315MM agreement.

As Heyman first reported last week, the Mets’ new proposal involved a guaranteed $157.5MM over six years, exactly slicing the initial agreement in half. The deal would’ve come with an additional six years and $157.5MM thereafter in conditional money, with Nightengale writing the Mets wanted Correa to take a physical at the conclusion of each of the final six seasons. Nightengale reports that Correa’s camp offered language that would’ve allowed the Mets to reduce their commitment in the event of a right ankle issue that cost him two months of action and a provision that would’ve allowed the team to void the deal if Correa missed 120+ days over a two-year span because of an ankle injury. Whatever the specifics under discussion, the sides clearly couldn’t settle upon a satisfactory compromise.

With talks having reached a stalemate, Boras opened up lines of communications with other teams in early January. Correa’s camp reached agreement with the Twins late last Monday on a six-year, $200MM guarantee that contains another four club/vesting options that could max the contract out at $270MM over ten years. Correa passed his physical with Minnesota, and the team made the deal official on Wednesday morning.

Neither the Giants nor the Mets have been able to offer much publicly on their reasons behind stepping away from their agreements. Officials with both clubs have noted that HIPAA privacy protections prevent them from revealing many specifics about player health. Both teams released brief statements after their deals fell through noting they were unable to come to agreements and wishing Correa the best. However, Andy Martino of SNY reported shortly before talks with the Mets collapsed that team officials had become “very frustrated” with the status of negotiations.

In the end, it all makes for little more than an historical footnote. Correa will be a Twin for at least the better part of the 2020’s, with Minnesota betting on the long-term stability of his ankle. The Giants and Mets will roll with Brandon Crawford and Francisco Lindor, respectively, at shortstop while sticking with previous in-house options around the infield.

Giants Notes: Correa, Wade, Belt, Jackson

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Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi met with the media yesterday and addressed a wide array of topics. In addition to downplaying the club’s need for catching help, he touched on a few of the team’s free agent decisions.

Nothing has loomed larger for the organization over the past few weeks than the deal with Carlos Correa that fell through. Correa’s camp quickly pivoted to the Mets after the Giants expressed concerns about the star shortstop’s physical and backed out of their $350MM agreement. Of course, New York’s doctors expressed similar concerns and Correa’s $315MM deal with the Mets also fell apart.

Zaidi indicated that San Francisco briefly touched base with Correa’s camp after his physical with the Mets was flagged (link via Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area). The Giants’ baseball ops leader indicated Correa wasn’t much interested in reopening discussions with San Francisco at the time, saying that Correa’s group “had other things they were more focused on.” Zaidi had expressed something similar a couple weeks back, indicating the team was unlikely to get deeply involved again with the Boras Corporation then focused on hammering out a deal with the Mets. That never came to fruition and Correa eventually returned to the Twins on a six-year, $200MM guarantee.

While the Giants’ offseason is in large part defined by near-misses on Aaron Judge and Correa, San Francisco certainly wasn’t inactive. They came up short on the star player they’d been seeking but brought in a number of quality regulars and role players. That was especially true in the outfield, where Joc Pederson returned via the qualifying offer and Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto signed multi-year free agent deals.

That solidified the outfield, with Haniger and Conforto expected to flank Mike Yastrzemski or Austin Slater on most days. Pederson will be the primary designated hitter if everyone’s healthy. LaMonte Wade Jr. has gotten a decent amount of corner outfield run over the past couple seasons but now looks set to man first base, at least as the strong side of a platoon arrangement.

Wade, a left-handed hitter, owns a .235/.318/.434 line over 632 plate appearances since the Giants acquired him from the Twins over the 2020-21 offseason. He’s been dreadful in 75 looks against left-handed pitching (.119/.178/.149) but has a quality .251/.336/.473 line with 26 home runs and 22 doubles in 557 trips while holding the platoon advantage. That makes him a logical partner for right-handed hitters like Wilmer Flores, J.D. Davis and David Villar, each of whom could rotate through the corner infield.

A desire to lean on Wade at first base played into San Francisco’s decision to watch Brandon Belt join the Blue Jays in free agency, Zaidi indicted (Pavlovic link). Zaidi suggested the team stayed in touch with Belt but didn’t specify whether the club made an official offer. After parts of 12 seasons in San Francisco, the veteran first baseman joined the Jays on a $9.3MM deal earlier this week.

One free agent whom San Francisco did sign is reliever Luke Jackson. The longtime Braves righty didn’t pitch in 2022 thanks to an April Tommy John surgery. It marked a rough platform year but San Francisco still added him on a two-year, $11.5MM guarantee. With the typical Tommy John rehab taking roughly 14 months, Jackson isn’t expected to be ready for the start of next season. Zaidi acknowledged he might open the year on the 60-day injured list, which would keep him out of action until at least late May (link via Evan Webeck of the San Jose Mercury News). That’s not suggestive of any kind of setback, as Zaidi said Jackson is “doing great in his rehab.”

Twins Re-Sign Carlos Correa

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Jan. 11: The Twins have formally announced Correa’s return. A press conference is set for 11:30am CT.

Jan.  10: Carlos Correa’s unprecedented free-agent saga looks to finally be drawing to a close, and it turns out he won’t even have to look for a new place to live. The former Rookie of the Year and Platinum Glove winner has reportedly agreed to a new six-year, $200MM contract with the Twins, which comes with four additional vesting options that can take the value of the contract to $270MM over a decade-long term. The Boras Corporation client does not have any opt-outs in the contract, though he will receive a full no-trade clause. The deal is expected to be finalized on Wednesday.

Correa will receive an $8MM signing bonus (paid out between 2023 and 2024) and annual salaries of $32MM in 2023-24, $36MM in 2025, $31.5MM in 2026, $30.5MM in 2027 and $30MM in 2028. The vesting options are valued at $25MM (2029), $20MM (2030), $15MM (2031) and $10MM (2032). Correa would vest his 2029 option by reaching 575 plate appearances the previous season; that number drops to 550 in 2029 (in order to vest his 2030 option), 525 in 2030 (to vest his 2031 option) and 502 in 2031 (to vest his 2032 option). The options would also vest if Correa finishes top five in MVP balloting, wins a Silver Slugger or claims an LCS or World Series MVP in the prior season. The Twins can still choose to pick up any of the options if Correa doesn’t meet the prior year’s vesting threshold.

The new deal between the Twins and Correa marks the latest and likely final twist in perhaps the wildest free-agent saga that’s ever played out. Correa, a two-time All-Star, agreed to terms with three different teams on three contracts of $200MM or more this winter — the first two of which were scuttled by concerns over the aforementioned right leg/ankle. Originally, Correa came to terms with the Giants on a 13-year, $350MM deal that blew the runner-up Twins out of the water. However, the Giants postponed Correa’s introductory press conference after raising some eleventh-hour concerns regarding his physical. The Mets, who hadn’t previously been involved in the Correa bidding, swooped in and agreed to a new 12-year, $315MM deal with Correa just days later, but New York raised similar concerns on Dec. 24, following their own physical.

At issue has been concern regarding the stability of Correa’s right leg and how well it will hold up over the life of a long-term deal. Correa sustained a significant fracture when sliding into third base as a 19-year-old prospect in the Astros’ system, which required surgery and the installation of a plate that is still in place to this day. While Correa has never been on the injured list due to the leg in the nine years since that injury, he did at least have a brief scare with it late in the 2022 season.

Correa was thrown out on a hard slide into second base and remained down on the field for several moments before leaving under his own power. After the game, he told reporters that he’d been hit on the plate in his leg and experienced brief numbness and vibration. Correa didn’t miss any time following that incident, however, and he went on to bat .346/.393/.481 with a homer and four doubles in 56 plate appearances from the day of that scare through season’s end.

The manner in which Correa’s leg and its hardware would hold up gave the Mets enough pause that they’re reported to have halved both the length and total guarantee of their original offer. The Mets still offered Correa the ability to match the original 12 years and $315MM they put on the table, but the back half of the contract was conditional and the team ostensibly would not budge from its stance on the matter. Unsurprisingly, Correa took the larger guarantee and considerably larger average annual value presented by the Twins on what is now the largest deal in franchise history.

The offseason leg drama surrounding Correa won’t do him any favors when it comes to shedding the “injury-prone” label that followed him early in his career, but it’s worth pointing out that over the past three seasons, Correa has appeared in 89.1% of his teams’ possible games. Eight of the missed contests in that time came early in the 2022 season with the Twins, when he spent a bit more than a week on the Covid-related injured list.

Nevertheless, all eyes will be on Correa’s leg for the foreseeable future. The uncertainty surrounding it was enough to drop Correa — a player the Twins adamantly maintained they never wanted to lose — back in Minnesota’s lap at a lesser rate than the ten-year, $285MM offer they put forth just one month ago, before he agreed to terms in San Francisco. It’s a stunning turn of events and a major narrative change for a Twins club that had been so focused on Correa in the offseason’s early stages that the majority of impact players were already off the board by the time it looked as though they’d been outbid by San Francisco.

With Correa now likely installed not only for the 2023 season but for the next six years, at the very least, the Twins’ short- and long-term outlooks are radically altered. Correa, who batted .291/.366/.467 with 22 home runs as a Twin this past season will be slotted back into the top third of a lineup that suddenly looks substantially deeper than it did just hours ago. He’ll follow leadoff man and reigning AL batting champ Luis Arraez, with Byron Buxton, Jorge Polanco, Jose Miranda and offseason signee Joey Gallo among the names behind him in the order.

With Correa back in Minnesota, trade acquisition Kyle Farmer will shift back from starting shortstop to the utility role the Twins initially envisioned when acquiring him. Acquired from Cincinnati in November, Farmer is a former catcher who has seen time all over the infield in recent years. He can back up each of Correa, Polanco and Miranda while providing Minnesota with a potent bat against left-handed pitching. Correa’s return allows Farmer to be utilized in more advantageous platoon matchups, one year after the former Red slashed .309/.380/.568 against lefties (but just .235/.291/.320 against righties).

The return of Correa on a long-term arrangement also calls into question just where fellow shortstop and former No. 1 overall pick Royce Lewis might fit into the equation once he’s back to full health. Lewis has been plagued by miserable luck on the health front, tearing the ACL in his right knee two times in just over one calendar year. He recovered from that first ACL tear and burst onto the scene in 2022 with a .300/.317/.550 batting line in his first dozen MLB games — only to suffer that ligament tear while playing in the outfield. The outfield could well end up Lewis’ long-term home, but he could also be considered an option at third base (with Miranda perhaps moving across the diamond) or at second base as an heir to Polanco, who is entering the final guaranteed season of his contract. (The Twins hold a pair of affordable club options on Polanco, however.)

Correa’s $36MM salary (and half the payout on his $8MM signing bonus) bump the Twins’ payroll to roughly $157MM — a franchise record. The Twins have also added Gallo (one year, $11MM) and catcher Christian Vazquez (three years, $30MM) thus far in the offseason — a trio of moves that should upgrade the team’s defense at various key positions. While Correa didn’t match his 2021 Platinum Glove numbers in his first season with the Twins, he’s still generally regarded as a plus defender and ought to stabilize the position with quality glovework for years to come. If a move to another position is ultimately deemed necessary, he has the arm strength for a move to the hot corner, ranking 14th among all Major League infielders (min. 100 throws) in terms of arm strength in 2022, per Statcast.

The addition of Gallo has only made it seem likelier that Minnesota will eventually find a trade partner for Max Kepler, as the Twins are now flush with left-handed-hitting corner outfielders (Kepler, Gallo, Trevor Larnach, Alex Kirilloff, Matt Wallner). Kirilloff could see most of his time at first base, but even still, the Twins have as many as four viable corner outfielders for two spots — and that’s not even factoring in right-handed-hitting bench options like Kyle Garlick and Gilberto Celestino.

It all falls under the “good problem to have” cliche, as the Twins now have a bevy of options in the outfield corners and around the infield, freeing up the possibility to explore trades designed to augment the starting rotation and/or bullpen that might not otherwise have appeared quite so palatable.

Put more simply, while the jarring reunion with Correa will no doubt be regarded as the most substantial move of the offseason, it’s not likely to be the last. While the Twins might have erred toward gearing up for a transitional year in the wake of missing out on Correa, suddenly retaining him on the largest contract in franchise history figures to spur the front office into further activity.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the agreement and the terms (Twitter link). Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the vesting options and details surrounding the Mets’ reduced offer and surrounding Correa’s physical with the Twins (all Twitter links). USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweeted that the contract did not contain opt-outs. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter links) and Ronald Blum of the Associated Press reported details on the vesting options and salary structure. Heyman reported the vesting thresholds and the no-trade clause (Twitter links), while Dan Hayes of the Athletic reported the Twins’ ability to trigger the options even if Correa doesn’t meet the vesting mark (on Twitter). Nightengale tweeted the contract was likely to be announced on Wednesday.

Talks Between Twins, Carlos Correa “Have Begun To Accelerate”

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Talks between the Twins and Carlos Correa “have begun to accelerate,” report Dan Hayes and Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. Minnesota rejoined the bidding late last week as talks between Correa’s camp and the Mets continued to drag on after New York had expressed concerns regarding his physical.

Rosenthal and Hayes reiterate that the Mets are not necessarily out of the bidding. The Athletic characterizes discussions as “fluid.” It’s the firmest indication yet, however, that Correa to the Mets no longer appears an inevitability. Minnesota seems very much back in the mix.

The Twins have maintained all offseason they hoped to retain the two-time All-Star after his season in the Twin Cities. There always seemed a strong possibility Correa would opt out of his three-year, $105.3MM pact after one season and land a more significant guarantee elsewhere. That has appeared to be the case on multiple occasions this offseason. The Twins reportedly put forth a ten-year, $285MM offer in December that fell well shy of the 13-year, $350MM pact to which Correa agreed with the Giants.

Of course, the Giants deal fell through after San Francisco’s medical professionals raised concerns about Correa’s right leg. He’d fractured his leg as a prospect back in 2014, requiring surgery that ended that season. Correa returned at the start of the next year and has never had an injured list stint related to his leg as an MLB player. Giants medical staffers raised some questions about its long-term sustainability, however, and the agreement was called off on the eve of the introductory press conference.

Correa and agent Scott Boras immediately pivoted to the Mets, agreeing to terms on a new 12-year, $315MM pact. That contract was also contingent on a physical, of course. New York’s doctors similarly took issue with Correa’s right leg, and the saga took another stunning twist.

Unlike after the collapse of the San Francisco deal, Correa’s camp didn’t immediately pivot to other teams. They negotiated exclusively with the Mets for roughly two weeks (presumably in part delayed by the holiday season). Reports suggested New York was intent on instituting some injury protection in the contract, likely via a clause that’d reduce the club’s financial hit and/or allow them to get out of a certain portion of the deal if Correa missed significant time because of a right leg injury.

Those talks seemingly hit a snag, and Boras reengaged with at least Minnesota last week. Andy Martino of SNY reported at the time that Mets brass was growing increasingly frustrated with discussions and had given some consideration to walking away from the deal entirely. There’s no indication they’ve done so, but Minnesota is again involved.

The Twins will have their own concerns regarding Correa’s physical condition, to be sure. Correa passed a physical to sign his first contract with Minnesota last spring, but it’s possible the organization will evaluate things differently if looking at a commitment nearing or topping a decade in length than they did for a three-year guarantee. Correa spent the season in Minnesota but didn’t seem to undergo a significant medical evaluation after his initial physical, aside from imaging on a bruised finger suffered in May. Hayes and Rosenthal write that Correa didn’t appear in the Minnesota training room at any point in the season after returning from his finger issue.

While that’s not all that surprising, it’s notable considering Correa had a late-September scare with his right leg. He spent some time on the ground after sliding into a base and then limped off the field. He remained in the game and didn’t miss any time, but he acknowledged after the contest he had felt some numbness and vibration in the leg, which he noted contained a metal plate that was put in during his 2014 surgery.

Reports: Mets “Frustrated” By Correa Negotiations; Twins Have Rejoined Bidding

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With the 12-year agreement between the Mets and Carlos Correa still in limbo, Jim Bowden of The Athletic reports that the Twins have not only jumped back into the mix for Correa but have emerged as a legitimate candidate to re-sign him (Twitter link, with audio, via MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM). SNY’s Andy Martino, meanwhile, writes that the Mets have grown “very frustrated” with the state of negotiations and have even contemplated walking away from the deal. Talks between the Mets and Correa aren’t dead, Martino emphasizes, but it’s nevertheless a pessimistic turn in what has become a wild, unparalleled free-agent saga for Correa.

The latest wave of drama comes on the heels of an evening report from the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, which indicated Correa and agent Scott Boras had engaged at least one other team as recently as yesterday afternoon. Heyman, too, noted that Minnesota had been in touch with Correa’s camp in recent weeks.

The Twins and Correa have “some momentum,” per Bowden, who adds that Minnesota appears more willing to take on some risk regarding Correa’s medicals than either the Giants or the Mets. The Twins’ most recent offer to Correa was a reported 10-year, $285MM pact, though that came before the Giants blew them out of the water with a 13-year, $350MM bid. It’s unclear whether Minnesota has made any alterations to that offer.

That Giants agreement feels like ancient history, as San Francisco canceled Correa’s introductory press conference after his physical gave the team some trepidation. There’s no indication that the Giants entirely halted their efforts to sign Correa, but while they were determining their next steps, the Mets swooped in and agreed to terms with Correa on a 12-year, $315MM pact. Shortly thereafter, however, the Mets raised their own concerns regarding Correa’s physical. That was nearly two weeks ago. A deal has not yet been finalized.

At issue for both the Giants and the Mets appears to be a nearly decade-old leg injury and corresponding concerns over how that may impact the All-Star infielder down the road. Back in 2014, while playing in the Astros’ minor league system, a then-19-year-old Correa suffered a fractured fibula while sliding into third base. The injury required surgery, and a metal plate was inserted into Correa’s leg.

The exact concern regarding the long-term stability of Correa’s leg isn’t clear, but both the Giants and Mets have at least been concerned enough to pump the brakes on their reported agreements. The Mets have reportedly discussed adding a clause that would alter the terms of the deal in the event of a serious leg injury to Correa. It’s not known whether they’ve also sought to reduce either the length or total guarantee of the agreement.

Correa, of course, spent the 2022 season in Minnesota, where he slashed .291/.366/.467 over 590 plate appearances. That came under the terms of a three-year, $105.1MM contract between the two parties that was struck last March, but Correa triggered the first of two opt-out clauses in the contract following the season, in hopes of securing the long-term deal that eluded him in his last trip through free agency.

While it’s easy to assume the Twins have a full grasp of Correa’s medical situation themselves, The Athletic’s Dan Hayes reported in late December that the team did not conduct an extensive examination of Correa during the course of the season. That’s to be expected, but it’s particularly noteworthy given that Correa had a late-September injury scare with the leg in question, wherein he remained down on the field for several moments after being thrown out on a slide into second base. Correa limped off the field, and although he remained in the game, he acknowledged after the contest that he had briefly felt numbness and vibration in that surgically repaired leg.

That incident occurred on Sept. 20, and Correa did not miss any time in the subsequent, final weeks of the season. If there were any lingering issues, they weren’t made apparent through his performance on the field. Correa batted .346/.393/.481 with a homer and four doubles in 56 plate appearances from Sept. 20 through season’s end.

Carlos Correa’s Camp In Discussions With At Least One Team Other Than Mets

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It has now been more than two weeks since Carlos Correa and the Mets agreed to terms on a 12-year contract. That came within hours of his deal with the Giants falling through because of the club’s concerns with his physical. New York took similar umbrage with Correa’s right leg during their own examination a few days later, however, leaving one of the market’s top free agents in something of a state of limbo.

Since the Mets expressed concern about Correa’s physical a few days before Christmas, the organization and the two-time All-Star’s camp have maintained ongoing optimism about their ability to work through the issue. For the last two weeks, Correa’s representatives at the Boras Corporation had solely been in contact with the Mets as they worked to finalize the deal. That’s apparently changing now, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that Boras engaged at least one other team regarding Correa this afternoon.

To be clear, that’s not to say Correa is moving on from the Mets. Indeed, they still seem his likeliest destination. A Mets official expressed confidence to Heyman they’ll still get the contract done even with Correa opening talks with at least one more team. Andy Martino of SNY similarly tweeted this afternoon the Mets and Correa’s camp were continuing to work on a resolution.

Nevertheless, it’s a notable development that another club is at least peripherally back in the mix. The Post’s Mike Puma reported last week that at least three other teams had reached out to Correa in the wake of the physical snag with the Mets. Correa didn’t engage in those discussions at the time, so today’s development marks a notable change in his camp’s tack.

Heyman writes today the Twins are one of the clubs that have tried to reengage Correa at some point over the past couple weeks. Minnesota maintained throughout the offseason they were hoping to bring him back after his lone season in the Twin Cities. They reportedly made a ten-year, $285MM offer earlier in the winter, but that fell shy of both the $350MM the Giants were originally set to guarantee Correa and the $315MM the Mets had put on the table. According to multiple reports, Minnesota didn’t up that offer between the time the Giants deal fell through and his agreement with New York. Whether the Twins still have a $285MM offer on the table isn’t clear, although it stands to reason they’d have some concerns of their own about the status of Correa’s leg until/unless they conduct a physical as well.

Minnesota still has a vacancy at shortstop, with stopgap veteran Kyle Farmer looking to be the current favorite at the position. Which other teams could be involved is unknown. Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi told reporters last week it was unlikely the club would circle back to Correa. The Braves and Red Sox each lost star shortstops in free agency this winter, though neither was tied especially strongly to Correa at any point in the offseason. Atlanta seems unlikely to make a massive free agent strike, while Boston just agreed to terms with Rafael Devers on a $313.5MM extension yesterday.

The Orioles were loosely linked to Correa at one point but never seemed to seriously make a run at a top-of-the-market free agent. The Padres, Phillies and Cubs each turned elsewhere in free agency for a star shortstop and the Dodgers reportedly had little interest in Correa thanks to his ties to the 2017 Astros.

All things considered, it’d appear the Twins would be the strongest competition for the Mets. That’d seem to be contingent on talks with New York falling apart. Heyman characterizes those discussions as “sticky” but there’s no suggestion they’re at a dire point.

Multiple reports in recent weeks have suggested the Mets are looking to add language that’d allow them to get out of part of the contract if Correa suffers a serious right leg injury. Puma first reported a week ago such a concept was under discussion. Ken Rosenthal reiterated that on The Athletic’s podcast on Tuesday, suggesting the deal would require some kind of modification to protect the Mets in case of injury.

Heyman echoes those reports, writing the Mets are insistent on including some kind of injury provision. According to Heyman, the club doesn’t want to make any major changes to the base 12-year, $315MM structure. They do, however, apparently want to build in a manner of lowering that guarantee and/or allowing them to get out of the contract early in the event Correa spends a certain amount of time on the injured list with a right leg problem specifically. How long such an IL stint would have to be and how many years or dollars could be voided in the case of an injury would have to be agreed upon by both sides, and it seems those issues are holding up the contract’s finalization.

That kind of clause is rare but not entirely without precedent. As an example, fellow Boras Corporation client J.D. Martinez altered his deal with the Red Sox over the 2018-19 offseason after the team flagged a foot issue during his physical. The sides moved forward with their agreed-upon five-year, $110MM framework but included stipulations that would’ve allowed the Red Sox to opt out of the final two years of the contract in the event Martinez suffered another foot injury that resulted in a lengthy injured list stint (as reported by Evan Drellich, then of NBC Sports Boston). Martinez never suffered a serious injury and wound up playing out the five-year deal before hitting free agency again this winter.

The Mets continue to try to work out a similar provision in this case. Where the winding saga will go next is to be determined, but it’ll remain the offseason’s main storyline until Correa officially signs a contract somewhere.

Farhan Zaidi: “Unlikely” That Giants Can Circle Back To Carlos Correa Deal

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Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi addressed reporters (including ESPN and Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle) for the first time since the team’s $350MM deal with Carlos Correa fell through due to concerns raised in the physical. Correa has since agreed to a $315MM deal with the Mets, but they too are concerned by the player’s physical and that signing has not been made official.

It’s been quiet since reports emerged on Christmas Eve that the Mets had concerns over his physical, with the last report stating the teams were working through things and a deal with New York still appeared “likely”. That’s not stopped a few other teams checking in on the situation, and Zaidi confirmed that the Giants have also checked in with Correa’s agent Scott Boras.

“We’ve had some conversations. Since then, obviously, you know, we’ve been in touch with Boras on other players as well. But our understanding and, as it’s been reported, they’re focused on a deal elsewhere at this point. So I think chances of a deal with us at this point are pretty unlikely based on their position,” Zaidi said.

Correa’s deal with San Francisco falling through shocked the baseball world. The Giants had scheduled a press conference to introduce their new star, but postponed that to further investigate Correa’s physical. That set off a chain of events that came together quickly, and within 24 hours Correa had agreed to a deal with the Mets. Zaidi confirmed that the Giants and Correa’s camp had different views on the medical review, but said they maintain a strong relationship with Boras.

“I was on the phone with Scott Boras on the Monday that we did Carlos’ physical right when his plane landed in San Francisco at 5 p.m., and those conversations continued from that point, so any suggestion that this was an 11th-hour thing is just not accurate. As soon as we had information, we shared it. We have a good working relationship with Scott Boras and his agency.”

The off-season has surely been a frustrating one for the Giants organization. They came into the winter in search of a new face of the franchise, and make a strong push to sign top free agent Aaron Judge. The reigning AL MVP would turn them down to re-sign with the Yankees on a nine-year, $360MM deal. They quickly pivoted to Correa, and just six days after news broke that Judge had agreed to return to New York, reports emerged that the Giants and Correa were in agreement on a 13-year deal.

The team has still been active this winter, adding Ross Stripling and Sean Manaea to their rotation, Taylor Rogers to the bullpen and Michael Conforto and Mitch Haniger to the outfield. San Francisco certainly has a stronger roster as a result of those moves, but they do lack the superstar they coveted coming into the off-season, and the free agent market no longer has any stars.

“One of the unfortunate aspects of the offseason is there’s been — and maybe this is inevitable given the players — a lot of attention paid to players that we wound up not signing rather than the players that we have signed,” Zaidi said.

One added layer to the Correa saga is what it means for long-time Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford. He’s entering the final year of his contract, and is owed $16MM in 2023. A Correa signing would have likely meant that Crawford moved to third-base, but it seems with the Correa deal off he’ll be manning short in his 13th season in San Francisco.

“I’m sure it was a frustrating and confusing period for him, but I also said we had to explore every opportunity to improve this team, including the group of shortstops that were out there, All-Star-caliber players that we all felt would really improve our team. I think Brandon was aware that adding one of these players was a possibility. It didn’t work out and he’s our shortstop now and we want and expect to be a playoff team.”

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