Carlos Correa

Multiple high-profile MLB teams are reportedly expected to pursue a top shortstop on the free-agent market during the offseason.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants are all expected to be on the hunt for a star shortstop.

Heyman named Trea Turner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Dansby Swanson of the Atlanta Braves, Xander Bogaerts of the Boston Red Sox and Carlos Correa of the Minnesota Twins as the top shortstops expected to hit the market and drum up a ton of interest once the 2022 season concludes.

Depending on what happens with the aforementioned shortstops, the Dodgers, Braves, Red Sox and Twins could be players in the shortstop market as well, since they will need replacements if their star shortstops sign elsewhere.

This marks the second consecutive year that shortstop is arguably the most stacked position in free agency, as Correa, Corey Seager, Javier Baez, Trevor Story and Marcus Semien were among the headliners of the 2021 class.

In terms of total value, Seager got the biggest deal at $325 million over 10 years. Baez, Semien and Story also did well for themselves, while Correa settled for a three-year deal with an opt-out clause after this season.

Part of the reason for Correa not landing a big contract was the fact that he waited until after the lockout to sign, which may have impacted his market.

That won't be an issue this offseason, which is why Turner, Swanson, Bogaerts and Correa are all expected to do well in free agency.

Turner, 29, has spent parts of the past two seasons in L.A. after a trade from the Washington Nationals and is in the midst of a fantastic season that has seen him hit .300 with 20 home runs, 97 RBI, 98 runs scored and 26 stolen bases.

As a two-time All-Star, one-time batting champion and one-time World Series champion with top-end speed, Turner promises to be highly sought after.

The 28-year-old Swanson is enjoying a career year with a .276 average, 22 homers and 92 RBI, and he helped the Braves win the World Series last season.

Bogaerts, who turns 30 on Saturday, is a four-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion during a 10-year career that has been spent entirely in Boston.

With a .309 batting average, Bogaerts is in the hunt for the American League batting titles, which would be the first of his career.

Correa, who is the youngest of the free-agent shortstops after just turning 28 this month, was a two-time All-Star and one-time World Series champion during his time with the Houston Astros, and has played well for the Twins this season, hitting .286 with 21 homers and 61 RBI.

Of the teams rumored to be heavily interested in the free-agent shortstops, the Cardinals are the only surefire playoff team this season, while the Phillies are battling for the final wild-card spot in the NL.

The Giants missed out on the playoffs after winning over 100 games last season, and the Cubs are in the midst of a rebuild.

Any of those teams would receive a huge boost upon signing one of the top shortstops and would perhaps close the gap between themselves and top NL teams like the Dodgers, Braves and New York Mets.

Carlos Correa sure sounded like a man set to decline his $35.1 million player option with the Minnesota Twins for the 2023 season and become a free agent Thursday.

"When I go to the mall and I go to the Dior store and I want something, I get it. I ask how much it costs and I buy it," he told reporters. "So if you really want something, you just go get it. I'm the product here, so if they want my product, they just gotta come get it."

Correa signed a three-year, $105.3 million contract with the Twins this past winter after spending the first seven years of his career with the Houston Astros. The deal included player options in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons, however, each worth $35.1 million.

Turning down $70.2 million over two years can't be an easy decision, though the 28-year-old Correa is likely hoping to find the security that comes with a long-term contract while he's still in his prime.

The question is whether Correa will be able to secure one of the lucrative deals he's seen his contemporaries at the position sign in recent years, like Francisco Lindor (10 years, $341 million), Fernando Tatis Jr. (14 years, $340 million) and Corey Seager (10 years, $325 million).

Teams had the opportunity to sign him to such a deal this past offseason and abstained, so Correa opted for a short-term windfall—his $35.1 million this year led all shortstops in base salary—and the chance to hit free agency again in any of the next three offseasons.

He won't be the only high-profile shortstop on the market, however. Trea Turner will be the headliner in that regard, while Dansby Swanson is also hitting free agency, and Xander Bogaerts could opt out and join the fray.

Correa has had a strong 2022 campaign, hitting .287 with 21 homers, 61 RBI, 68 runs and an .826 OPS. But he isn't going to be the top option at his position on teams' free-agency boards, and it's fair to question if his market might play out in a similar fashion to last winter.

MLB executives reportedly predict "one of the best free-agent classes in recent memory" with several high-profile players planning to use opt-out clauses in their contracts to hit the open market.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Thursday it's a group that includes New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom, Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander, Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa, Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts and San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Carlos Rodon.

Those players with options in their contracts for 2023 are expected to join a star-studded free-agent group also slated to include New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner.

Having so many notable names available in free agency will represent the first major test for MLB's collective bargaining agreement.

The league and the Players Association came to terms on a new CBA in March following a 99-day lockout. One of the biggest concerns raised by the union throughout the process was the "artificial restraints on free agency."

That came after the free-agent market became sluggish in recent years, which was basically a two-pronged problem.

On one hand, teams with the talent to contend were trying to avoid reaching the league's Competitive Balance Tax, MLB's version of a luxury tax, and opted for cheaper depth options.

On the other, a fair number of clubs fully embraced tanking, so they had no interest in signing free agents who would add significant payroll when the World Series wasn't a realistic target.

It left a small number of teams to compete for most of the market's biggest names, which led to long free-agent stays and contracts below expected value.

Initial returns from the new CBA were promising. Over $1 billion was spent on player contracts in the first 10 days after the deal was announced.

So now the focus shifts to this winter, where the money should once again be flying around if the CBA is working as intended for the players.

DeGrom and Verlander are two of the generation's best pitchers and could command salaries in the same ballpark as the $43.3 million starting pitcher Max Scherzer received from the Mets last offseason, which is the current highest salary in MLB, per Spotrac.

Hitters like Judge and Turner should also break the bank in the new CBA environment. The Yankees slugger has recorded 51 home runs so far in 2022, which is 15 more than any other player, and the Dodgers infielder is one of the sport's most well-rounded players.

The likes of Bogaerts, Correa and Rodon may not quite match the salaries of those top four, but they're also in line for lucrative contracts of their own.

All that said, if this year's free-agent market fails to live up to expectations in terms of team spending, grumblings about the CBA will likely begin anew.

The Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies have gotten off to tough starts in the 2022 season, but help could be coming over the winter.

An MLB general manager told Bob Nightengale of USA Today they expect both teams to be major suitors for a strong crop of free-agent shortstops that likely will include Trea Turner, Carlos Correa and Xander Bogaerts (the latter two have opt-out clauses).

"I guarantee you they’re going to get one of them," the GM said of the Cubs.

The 23-31 Cubs have been utilizing the 25-year-old Nico Hoerner at shortstop, and while he's been solid (.290 with three homers and 16 RBI), he could also be bumped to second base if the team brings in an elite option at the position.

The 24-29 Phillies, meanwhile, have relied on Didi Gregorius (.288 with seven RBI) when healthy and Johan Camargo (.246 with three homers and 15 RBI) when Gregorius has been unavailable because of injuries. But the team could clearly use both an offensive and defensive upgrade at the position, even if a woeful bullpen is the team's biggest weakness.

Turner, Correa and Bogaerts should have a vibrant market, meanwhile.

Turner, 28, was an All-Star in 2021 after hitting .328 with 28 homers, 77 RBI, 107 runs, 195 hits and 32 stolen bases between the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers. He's one of the more dangerous offensive weapons in baseball, especially if his added power last season wasn't simply an outlier but a trend going forward.

Correa, 27, is a two-time All-Star, a champion, a Gold Glove winner and was the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year. He perhaps didn't receive the market he was hoping for ahead of this season, ultimately signing a three-year, $105.3 million deal with the Minnesota Twins that included player options for 2023 and 2024.

He seems likely to test that market again in pursuit of a long-term deal.

Finally, the 29-year-old Bogaerts is a three-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger award winner a and two-time champion, and it would be somewhat shocking to see the Red Sox let him walk.

But Boston has hardly bent over backward to keep its own stars in place after trading Mookie Betts to the Dodgers, and this offseason's signing of Trevor Story perhaps foreshadowed Boston's willingness to part ways with Bogaerts, especially with a long-term extension looming for 25-year-old superstar Rafael Devers.

The Minnesota Twins discovered during Monday's game against the Detroit Tigers that shortstop Carlos Correa had tested positive for COVID-19.

Manager Rocco Baldelli confirmed the news to reporters after the 7-5 loss to Detroit.

Correa is hitting .279 (.751 OPS) with three home runs and 16 RBI in his first year with Minnesota, who signed him to a three-year, $105.3 million contract last offseason.

The 27-year-old played his first seven MLB seasons with the Houston Astros, making two All-Star Games, winning the 2017 World Series and earning the 2015 American League Rookie of the Year award. He hit .277 (.837 OPS) with 133 home runs and 489 RBI during his tenure there.

This season has gone well for the Twins, which sport a 29-20 record and sit first in the AL Central.

Correa previously landed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to May 6) with a right finger contusion suffered after he fouled a ball off his hand during a May 5 at-bat against the Baltimore Orioles. He returned on May 18 against the Oakland Athletics.

The Twins have been snakebit with injuries, as Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, Trevor Larnach, Luis Arraez, Kyle Garlick, Correa, Bailey Ober, Chris Paddack and Dylan Bundy have all missed time.

Still, the team holds a comfortable lead over the rest of the AL Central field at the moment, foreshadowing potential hope that the Twins can run away with the division down the stretch provided they get healthier.

Without Correa, the Twins will turn to Royce Lewis or Jorge Polanco at shortstop.

The Minnesota Twins announced Tuesday that they placed shortstop Carlos Correa on the 10-day injured list with a right middle finger contusion.

The stint on the IL is retroactive to May 6. Correa suffered the injury by fouling a ball off his hand during a May 5 game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Correa, a two-time All-Star and 2015 American League Rookie of the Year, is hitting .255 (.693 OPS) with two home runs and 11 RBI in his first year with Minnesota. The shortstop signed a three-year, $105.3 million contract with the Twins this offseason.

Correa spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Houston Astros. He hit .279 (.850 OPS) with 26 home runs and 92 RBI in 2021. Thanks in part to his efforts, the 95-67 Astros won the AL pennant.

Correa was an instrumental part of the Astros' success since 2017, which has included five playoff appearances, three American League pennants and a World Series title.

Without Correa, the Twins have turned to Royce Lewis at shortstop.

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was caught off guard when former teammate Carlos Correa signed a three-year, $105.3 million contract with the Minnesota Twins on Friday.

"I was surprised. I wasn't expecting that," he told reporters. "Obviously we're going to miss him. He's a great player and a great guy inside the clubhouse. He was one of our leaders."

Altuve wasn't alone in being sad to see Correa go:

Altuve and Correa have been teammates in Houston since 2015, helping lead the Astros to six playoff berths, a World Series title and three Fall Classic appearances. Altuve has been named to five All-Star teams and won the 2017 MVP in that stretch. Correa was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2015 and is a two-time All-Star. 

But the shortstop also was the top remaining free agent left on the market before signing with the Twins, and Altuve was happy to see him sign for big money.

"Now that he's on another team, I'm happy for him," he said. "He got a great deal. Happy for him. I know he's going to play good. He's going to make the Twins better."

There's no doubt that the Astros will miss Correa, however. He hit .279 with 26 homers, 92 RBI, 104 runs and an .850 OPS in 2021, remaining one of the most lethal offensive shortstops in baseball. 

In recent seasons, the Astros have watched two key players from that lineup depart, with outfielder George Springer signing with the Toronto Blue Jays last year. 

Correa should be replaced by one of the team's top prospects, Jeremy Pena. But for Altuve, not having his friend around will be as difficult as losing Correa's impact on the diamond.

"We had dinner so many times," Altuve said. "We spent a lot of time in rooms together talking about different things. That's what I'm going to miss the most."

Free-agent shortstop Carlos Correa has agreed to a three-year, $105.3 million contract with the Minnesota Twins, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston reported the deal includes opt-out opportunities after each of the first two years.

The news comes after Correa declined a one-year, $18.4 million qualifying offer from the Houston Astros. He also turned down a five-year, $160 million deal from the franchise, per Berman.

The 27-year-old had spent his entire seven-year career in Houston and became a free agent for the first time this offseason. He was one of the top free-agent shortstops on the market, joining Trevor Story, Corey Seager, Javier Baez and Marcus Semien. 

Correa had a great 2021 season, hitting .279/.366/.485 with a career-high 26 home runs along with 92 RBI, earning his second All-Star selection and first Gold Glove. He's hit .277/.356/.481 across seven seasons with the Astros.  

Correa also received interest from the New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners, among others, this winter.

With the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year off the market, Story is the most high-profile shortstop still available.

Houston could also play Aledmys Diaz at shortstop, and prospect Jeremy Pena might be ready for the majors come 2022, as The Athletic's Jake Kaplan noted.

The Astros, who went 95-67 last season and reached the World Series for the third time in the last five seasons, might also shift their focus to the pitching staff.

For the Twins, meanwhile, Correa will take on a key role within a lineup that also features Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano and Jorge Polanco. They also acquired catcher Gary Sanchez and third baseman Gio Urshela from the Yankees.

Minnesota kicks off the regular season on April 7 when it hosts the Seattle Mariners.