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Shortstop Carlos Correa and the Minnesota Twins are in settlement on a three-year, $105.Three million contract that features opt-outs after the primary two seasons, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Correa’s deal, which was first reported by Fox 26 Houston, can pay him $35.1 million in every of the three years, sources stated.
Correa choosing the Twins was a shock, given they’ve misplaced 18 consecutive postseason video games and completed final within the AL Central a 12 months in the past at 73-89.
His common wage turns into baseball’s fourth highest behind Mets pitcher Max Scherzer ($43.Three million), Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole ($36 million) and Angels outfielder Mike Trout ($35.5 million).
A two-time All-Star who was the primary decide within the 2012 beginner draft, Correa led the Astros‘ turnaround. Houston misplaced greater than 100 video games annually from 2011-13, then gained its first World Sequence title by beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven video games in 2017.
He’s coming off maybe his finest season, posting a career-best 7.2 WAR, in line with Baseball-Reference.com, which ranked third within the American League. He hit .279 with 26 homers, 92 RBIs and 104 runs for the Astros. The oft-injured Correa performed in 148 video games, his most for the reason that 2016 season.
It was additionally Correa’s most adorned season. He appeared within the All-Star Recreation, completed fifth in AL MVP balloting, gained his first Gold Glove at shortstop and was awarded a Platinum Glove by Rawlings because the AL’s high general defender. Since Correa broke in for the Astros in 2015, he ranks sixth amongst all place gamers in WAR (34.1).
For all his regular-season exploits, Correa has been much more completed through the postseason. Since his first look for Houston in 2015, Correa ranks third amongst all gamers in postseason homers (18). His 59 RBIs within the playoffs are 10 greater than every other participant throughout that span.
Nonetheless, Correa stays a controversial determine due to his affiliation with the sign-stealing scandal that tainted the Astros’ 2017 World Sequence title, and his adamant protection concerning the legitimacy of the championship. Earlier than the 2020 season, he advised reporters, “If you analyze the video games, we gained truthful and sq.. We earned that championship.”
Regardless of the controversies, Correa is revered across the sport as a clubhouse chief.
“In case your finest participant will not be a very good chief, they will take you down the improper highway,” Astros supervisor Dusty Baker stated of Correa through the 2021 playoffs. “Carlos is within the nice class.”
Shifting to the Twins can be a change for Correa and his household. His spouse, the previous Daniella Rodriguez, was Miss Texas USA in 2016.
Minnesota has not been to the World Sequence since successful the 1991 title and has misplaced its previous eight postseason collection since beating Oakland in a 2002 AL Division Sequence.
Correa has loved nice success in Minnesota as a visiting participant, although. He has a .413 batting common (26-for-63) at Goal Subject with 5 homers and 20 RBIs in 15 video games. His 1.205 OPS is his highest at any ballpark the place he has performed 4 or extra video games.
Because the finish of the lockout, the Twins acquired right-hander Sonny Gray from Cincinnati and catcher Gary Sanchez and third baseman Gio Urshela from the Yankees.
Earlier than the work stoppage, Minnesota signed pitcher Dylan Bundy to a $5 million, one-year deal.
Correa grew to become a free agent after rejecting the Astros’ qualifying supply, price $18.four million. On account of his departure, Houston will recoup a compensatory draft decide.
Correa was the highest general decide of the 2012 beginner draft after being chosen by Houston out of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy. He then went on to win AL Rookie of the Yr honors in 2015.
ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle and The Related Press contributed to this report.
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