MLB rumors: Carlos Correa ‘open’ to long-term contract with Twins

The latest MLB rumors suggest that Carlos Correa might be quite content staying with the Twins.

There wasn’t a free agent this past offseason whose contract negotiations were more closely followed than Carlos Correa. After Corey Seager signed a massive deal to join the Texas Rangers, most folks assumed it was just a matter of time before Correa inked a similar deal.

But Correa’s courtship took much longer than anticipated. The former Houston Astros shortstop finally settled on a three-year/$105.3M deal with the Minnesota Twins.

Correa bucked the trend of signing a long-term contract and decided to bet on himself. The deal allows Correa to opt out after both his first and second season in Minneapolis, effectively making it a one-year/$35.1M contract.

Could we see Carlos Correa sign with the Twins long-term?

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required) reported that Carlos Correa has already spoken to Minnesota Twins executives and manager Rocco Baldelli about staying in the organization over the long haul.

"“I love the people here. I love the way I’m treated here. If you guys see the value I bring to this organization and what I do for other people around me and the game that I bring, I would love to have a long-term relationship here if that’s what you guys would like.”"

Per Rosenthal’s reporting, the Twins front office remains engaged with Correa’s agent, Scott Boras, and the club plans to discuss maintain dialogue throughout the season by “maintain(ing) open lines of communication.”

This has got to be music to the ears of Twins fans who’ve seen their squad jump out to an early lead in the chase for the American League Central Division crown. Minnesota (8-8) holds a one-game advantage over the Cleveland Guardians.

Rosenthal assumes that Carlos Correa will still opt out following the 2022 season and compete on the open market for the best contract available without the constraints of an abbreviated offseason.

Still, a lot depends on how Correa performs in 2022. Nick Castellanos had a similar contract with the Cincinnati Reds in 2020. After a poor performance during the pandemic-shortened season,  Castellanos chose not to opt out.

Castellanos then exceeded expectations the following season, going to the All-Star Game for the first time. The slugger then opted out of his deal with the Reds last fall and then signed a five-year/$100M contract with Philadelphia Phillies this spring.

Correa and Castellanos share the same agent, so predicting how this saga will play out is anyone’s guess. For now, Correa is happy to be part of the first-place Twins.