Yankees might double down on ruining Giants offseason with Carlos Correa

After re-signing Aaron Judge on a nine-year, $360 million deal, the Yankees aren’t done stealing nice things from the Giants. Could Carlos Correa be next?

Recent reports suggest Carlos Correa has yet to receive a coveted $300 million contract offer. Trea Turner, once through to be the best shortstop on the open market, signed for that much with the Phillies. Xander Bogaerts, perhaps a tier below Correa’s valuation, signed for $280 million. So why not cut the deficit in half?

When they missed out on Aaron Judge, the San Francisco Giants were initially viewed as favorites to land Correa. After all, they have a hole at shortstop and would like to add a marquee star this offseason.

Yet, San Francisco left the winter meetings without that coveted player. Could the Yankees be lurking yet again? ESPN’s Buster Olney thinks it’s a possibility.

Will the Yankees try to sign Carlos Correa?

Is this a replay of the 2021 MLB offseason?

The Yankees were among several teams in on Carlos Correa just a year ago, but were unwilling to match the star shortstop’s terms, instead choosing to side with their two intriguing, young shortstop prospects Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza. Correa would go on to sign a short-term high AAV contract with the Minnesota Twins.

With Correa a free agent again, the Yankees have a chance to right old wrongs. As talented as the likes of Volpe and Peraza are, there’s no guarantee they reach the heights of a player like Correa.

Were they to sign Correa, it also opens up the possibility to trade one of those top-ranked prospects to address other positions of need, like the outfield (see: Reynolds, Bryan).

However, the far more likelier outcome is that the Yanks stand pat with their young shortstops, but sign a corner outfielder and top-tier starter. Adding Andrew Benintendi and Carlos Rodon, for example, keeps Hal Steinbrenner within his budget, and improves a steady contender.