After the weekend, when the last big names were removed from the list of free agents, Keith Lowe reveals what to expect from each player.
Carlos Correa – The Minnesota Twins
The Twins’ signing of Carlos Correa may be the biggest shock of the offseason, but it’s also one of the best moves any team has made and further underscores the Twins’ determination to get back to fighting after a disappointing performance in 2021. He addresses one of their biggest needs, and strikes a short-term deal that limits the Twins’ shortcomings and may end up being as simple as a one-year contract with one of baseball’s best players.
The Twins got nothing from the shortstop in 2021 with a .233/.298/.323 aggregate line, mostly from the less-than-100% Andrelton Simmons, who has played well but hasn’t landed since suffering a serious ankle injury in 2020. Correa has nearly six more wins than Simmons last year, hitting .279/.366/.485, not even the best of his career. He alone had 14 more homers, 14 more doubles and 28 more walks than all the Twins shortstops combined. With Simmons gone to the Cubs, the Twins didn’t have anyone on the roster capable of playing shortstops every day in major tournaments right now, so they needed to find someone. But instead of just settling for anyone who could fill the position, they got the best free agent on the market.
Correa’s contract only guarantees one year at $35.1 million, after which he has two player options for 2023 and 2024 at the same salary.