The Minnesota Twins remain in the mix for Carlos Correa and talks between the two sides have started to accelerate, reports The Athletic. Correa agreed to a 12-year, $315 million contract with the New York Mets on December 21, though the deal was in limbo as the two sides worked through contract language related to an ankle injury that Correa initially struggled with had suffered during his career.
The Mets are not on the road to Correa, although it was reported last week that the team is “growingly frustrated” with the negotiations. Scott Boras, Correa’s agent, then began hiring other teams, including the Twins. Correa previously signed a 13-year, $350 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. That deal fell through over the team’s long-term concerns over Correa’s ankle.
Correa spent 2022 with the twins. He signed a three-year, $105.3 million deal with two opt-outs with Minnesota last offseason, and after a strong 2022 he exercised the first opt-out to test the free hand. The twins reportedly offered Correa a 10-year deal worth $285 million earlier this winter, though that was before those medical concerns surfaced.
It stands to reason that Minnesota knows Correa’s doctors better than anyone, and if they’re offering a 10-year contract, they must be comfortable with his ankle. After the Giants and Mets had reservations, the Twins may want to take a closer look at his medicine. It must be noted that Boras and Correa may be using the twins as bargaining chips to finalize things with the Mets.
On the night Correa agreed to sign with the Mets, owner Steve Cohen told the New York Post, “We needed one more thing, and that’s it. That really makes a big difference. I feel our pitch was in good shape. We needed one more batsman. That puts us at the top.” Those comments could result in Boras and Correa filing a grievance if the Mets back out of the agreement.
Correa suffered an ankle injury as a minor league player in 2014 and received a plate in his leg. He hasn’t missed time with an ankle injury since, although he admitted last September to having pain in his leg after a hard slide. “It was a bit scary but as soon as I moved I knew I was good,” Correa said of the pain in his leg after September’s slide.
Correa, now 28, hit 22 homers with .291/.366/.467 in 136 games last season. He missed time with COVID and a finger injury after being hit by a pitch.