Carlos Correa is reportedly finalizing a long-term deal with the Minnesota Twins.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, it’s a six-year deal worth $200 million, in addition to a vesting option that could push the total value of the contract to $270 million. Both Jon Heyman and Ken Rosenthal have confirmed the deal.
BREAKING: Shortstop Carlos Correa and the Minnesota Twins are finalizing a six-year, $200 million contract, sources tell ESPN. The deal has a vesting option that can max out at $270 million. It is pending physical.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 10, 2023
As Passan says, the deal with the Twins is pending a physical, which is what led to the apparent holdups in San Francisco and New York because of apparent concerns about Correa’s surgically-repaired ankle, which he had operated on in 2014 following an injury he suffered in the minor leagues. But Heyman says the main part of the physical is complete and there is nothing in the way of ruining the deal.
Sources: The major part of Correa’s physical is complete — including the ankle at issue — so there’s nothing foreseen to stop Correa’s return to the Twins
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 10, 2023
Rosenthal says the six years are guaranteed and he can lock in a seventh year for $25 million if he has at least 502 plate appearances in that sixth year.
Correa’s contract is for six guaranteed years and $200M. He can guarantee a seventh year and another $25 million with 502 plate appearances in year six, according a source. Total value can increase to $245M if he gets eighth year. More details to come. Again: Pending physical.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 10, 2023
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Mets dumped their initial offer of 12 years for $315 million guaranteed to six years and $157.5 million guaranteed. So they were offering him an average of $26.25 million annually compared to Minnesota giving him an average of $33.3 million annually.
Rosenthal, meanwhile, is reporting that Correa will make $36 million in 2023, 2024 and 2025, followed by $31.5 million in 2026, $30.5 million in 2027 and $30 million in 2028. Nightengale had more on what Correa could make if the deal extends past six seasons.
Carlos Correa contract:
Signing bonus: $8M
2023: $36 million
2024: $36 million
2025: $36M
2026: $31.5M
2027: $30.5M
2028: $30M
Non-guaranteed
2029: $25 million
2030: $20 million
2031: $15 million
2032: $10 million— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 10, 2023
It’s been a wild ride for Correa and the teams courting him this winter. Minnesota initially offered him a 10-year, $285 million contract before he reportedly agreed to a 13-year, $350 million deal with the Giants. That broke down and the Mets were linked to Correa on a 12-year, $315 million contract. All of that came after he opted out of the final two years of the three-year, $105 million deal with signed in the Twins in March 2022.
And we back!!! ⚡️⚡️⚡️ https://t.co/RLvjwLAh6v
— Buck (@OfficialBuck103) January 10, 2023
The reporting of the Twins’ chances to land Correa got really wild in recent days.
Last Friday, Jim Bowden went on MLB Network Radio and said there’s a “strong possibility” the Twins steal Correa back from the Mets. On Sunday, Bowden again went on MLB Network Radio and said a deal between Mets and Correa was just a matter of when it gets done. Ken Rosenthal and Dan Hayes changed the narrative on Monday night, saying the Twins were accelerating talks with Correa.
And Heyman, who was on the Bowden side of the rumor mill on Sunday, flipped to join Rosenthal and Hayes in saying the Twins were “gaining steam.”
“As of late Monday night it appeared the Twins’ talks with Correa were gaining steam,” Heyman wrote. “The way things were going, the Twins appeared to have a decent chance to retain the star shortstop they — along with most everyone else — had thought was surely gone to the Mets.”
