Latest Carlos Correa rumors: Like it or not, Rob Manfred made an impact

As the MLB lockout drags on, Carlos Correa leaks continue to come to the forefront despite the lack of contact with teams. So, what’s the latest?

Correa’s contract demands are through the roof, and rightly so — the star shortstop wants a decade-long deal worth upwards of $350 million, if not more. There was some talk of Correa coming down on those demands, but that was before he hired super-agent Scott Boras to represent him mid-free agency.

Last we heard a mere months ago, teams were unwilling to offer Correa the full 10 years he requested. The AAV doesn’t appear to be an issue long-term.

Carlos Correa contract demands

Correa’s unlikely to come down from his 10-year demand, and why would he? With Boras in tow, Correa can cement his status as the best shortstop in all of baseball with the deal to match.

The MLB lockout won’t end anytime soon, unfortunately, so teams will be in a mad dash to sign players as talented as Correa. This could play into his favor, as it would eliminate some of the usual posturing in the middle of negotiations.

Carlos Correa rumors: Which team has the edge?

Correa’s free agent chase has been a relative mystery since he hired Boras. All his agent has said is that Correa is unwilling to come down from his reported demands. Boras did go out of his way to compliment the Astros, however, who were thought to be out of the race altogether.

The Cubs offered an eight-year deal, while the Astros offered a five-year contract at a higher AAV than Correa requested. Neither was enough to move the needle.

Did Rob Manfred impact Carlos Correa’s free agency?

By declaring a universal DH last week, Manfred opened up Correa’s long-term market to the NL. Shortstops typically do not age well defensively. Were that to take place with Correa, a National League team could move him around the infield or even to a permanent DH towards the tail end of his deal.