A Long, Strange Road: The Carlos Correa Timeline

Jan 25, 2023 - 5:14 PM

Imagine if you were a Twins fan and were out of the country with no internet for this offseason. You come back and say, “hey, the Twins signed Carlos Correa back!” You would’ve missed one of the strangest rom coms in professional sports history, a script that even Matthew McConaughey would’ve turned down. How did the Twins and Carlos Correa find themselves back in each other’s arms?

June 4th, 2012

The Twins narrowly miss out on Correa, as the Astros select him as the top pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. With the second pick, the Twins select Byron Buxton. Buxton was considered the consensus top prospect, but the Astros go under slot to select Correa (ranked #6 by Baseball America) in what was somewhat of a surprising move.

June 24th, 2014

Correa fractures his fibula sliding into third base on a triple, and his injury would require surgery, including a metal plate being inserted into his leg. This injury would rear its ugly head in a big way in his free agency after the 2022 season.

June 8th, 2015

He makes his debut with the Astros, going 1 for 4 against the White Sox.

Bob Levey/Getty Images

November 16th, 2015

Correa wins the American League Rookie of the Year, edging out Francisco Lindor.

November 5th, 2017

The Astros win the World Series, edging out the Dodgers in seven games.

November 12th, 2019

Initial reports of the Astros’ cheating scandal emerge, including an article from Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of the Athletic that outlines the allegations. The internet would run with the allegations, including sports personality “Jomboy” putting together a damning series of videos. The allegations would call their World Series win into question and would result in a series of punishments for the Astros. Correa would become villainized due to the scandal, something that he gets booed for to this day.

November 12th, 2021

Correa wins the Platinum Glove as the best defensive player in the league. The timing of this award is seemingly impeccable as he approaches free agency.

December 2nd, 2021

The MLB locks out the players’ association, putting a freeze on free agency. While some players were able to garner new contracts before the lockout, Correa enters the lockout still as a free agent.

January 18th, 2022

Correa fires his previous agency, WME, and joins the Boras Corporation, led (obviously) by Scott Boras. This would contribute quite significantly to Correa joining the Twins.

March 10th, 2022

The lockout was lifted and Correa was able officially resume his free agency.

March 12/13th, 2022

The Twins trade Mitch Garver to the Rangers for a package including shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa, seemingly ending their search for a shortstop to replace Andrelton Simmons. A day later, however, Kiner-Falefa was packaged with Josh Donaldson in a trade to the Yankees that netted them Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela. This was a perplexing trade, as it re-opened the shortstop hole they had filled a day earlier, but clearing Donaldson’s contract seemed to indicate a bigger move on the way.

Houston Chronicle/Chandler Rome

March 19th, 2022

Our favorite team, the Twins, shock the baseball world by signing Correa to what is a 3-year, $105M contract on paper. However, as the details of the contract emerge, it is learned that Correa can enter free agency after one year, as he and Boras negotiated a buyout after each year of the contract. As it turns out, the Twins and Correa/Boras needed each other, and here’s why:

A. Correa did not secure the deal he was looking for and was looking to enter free agency again after one year. The two extra years were basically insurance in case he was injured in 2022.

B. Boras also wanted his client to re-enter free agency to recoup the full agent’s fee. Because Correa had also negotiated with his previous agency, Boras had to split the money with WME.

C. In order to make as much money as possible in the next free agency, Boras and Correa were looking to have a team willing to not extend a qualifying offer, as Correa would no longer have draft pick compensation tied to him for the next team to sign him.

D. Most teams looking to sign Correa likely weren’t willing to gamble on what amounts to a 1-year, $35M contract with $70M of injury insurance, so Boras had to find a team that would normally not have a chance at a guy like Correa. Enter: THE MINNESOTA TWINS.

September 20th, 2022

After sliding into second base in a game against the Royals, Correa’s surgically-repaired leg causes him an issue, as he could feel the plate in his leg vibrating. Correa did not miss a game, posting a .841 OPS for the rest of the season.

November 7th, 2022

Correa officially opts out of the remaining two years of his contract, returning him to free agency.

December 14th, 2022

Correa agrees to terms with the San Francisco Giants on a 13-year, $350M contract.

December 20th/21st, 2022

A press conference to officially introduce Correa with the Giants is cancelled due to issues in his physical surrounding the plate in his leg. Boras immediately pivots, as the Mets swoop in and agree to a 12-year, $315M agreement of their own with Correa to make him their new third baseman.

December 24th, 2022

Reports emerge that the Mets are also having issues with Correa’s physical. Boras and Mets continue negotiating, as the Mets try to insert language into the contract to offset an injury to Correa’s leg.

January 11th, 2023

Boras and Correa come crawling back to the Twins like Happy Gilmore did to Chubbs Peterson, and Correa signs a 6-year, $200M contract that includes four vesting seasons. The Twins are comfortable with Correa’s physical, and the sides are finally reunited.

Just like Bennifer, it seems like the reunion was bound to happen, regardless of the obstacles along the way.