MLB rumors: Did Carlos Correa give free agency hint?

Free agent shortstop Carlos Correa may have provided a hint about his ideal suitor, though it remains unclear.

On Monday morning, the Detroit Tigers made the first big move on the free agent market, by convincing pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez to sign in MoTown. E-Rod left Beantown in the dust, signing a five-year deal worth at least $77 million and potentially more with incentives.

With Rodriguez signing as the first major addition to Detroit’s roster for the 2022 season, the Tigers are officially major players this Winter. So, what’s next?

The Tigers have been linked with Carlos Correa all season, as manager A.J. Hinch has a history with the former Astro in Houston. The two won a World Series together, and by all accounts would be interested in doing so again in Detroit — for the right price, of course.

MLB rumors: Did Carlos Correa hint at free agency decision?

Michael Balko of ESPN claimed an MLB insider called Correa to Detroit a ‘done deal,’ though we don’t know much more than that. He also linked this screenshot, which appears to show a Tigers emoji in Correa’s Twitter bio.

https://twitter.com/MichaelBalkoJr/status/1460274744952078338

It would appear Balko was fooled by…a rather basic photoshop.

By no means am I willing to take Balko’s word as gospel. There’s no guarantee Correa signs before the New Year, or the new CBA for that matter. And while he’s been linked to Detroit, there are plenty of other teams interested in his talents, including the Yankees and Blue Jays.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan even stated on Monday that the Tigers may have to settle for Trevor Story which — while not a horrible backup plan — would not be the same as landing Correa.

Can Tigers still afford Carlos Correa?

Correa’s market value is above $25 million per season, and he likely wants a long-term deal. The Tigers would be best served to backload Correa’s contract so they’d be paying him the majority of his money when Miguel Cabrera is off the books.

But to answer the question: Yes, they can afford him. It’s just a matter of how high they’re willing to go.