Carlos Correa

The New York Yankees have been linked to free-agent shortstop Carlos Correa throughout the offseason, but Bob Nightengale of USA Today doesn't see it happening.

Nightengale told Vinny and Haynie of 105.7 The Fan (h/t Logan Mullen of Audacy) that you can "rule out" the Yankees signing Correa. 

"I think Correa is going to take a while [to sign somewhere]; I just don’t see a natural fit," Nightengale added. "The Dodgers can be an X-factor because Trea Turner only has one more year and you can always slide him over to second base."

Correa was one of the top overall players in free agency this offseason after hitting .279 with a .366 on-base percentage and 26 home runs last year. He also won a Gold Glove at shortstop while finishing fifth in MVP voting before helping the Houston Astros reach the World Series.

With three AL pennants on his resume and one World Series title, Correa could be a valuable addition for a Yankees squad looking to get over the top after falling short in recent seasons. New York has reached the playoffs in five straight years but lost before the World Series each time, including last season's Wild Card Game defeat to the Boston Red Sox.

Gleyber Torres also disappointed at shortstop last season, hitting .259 with nine home runs and just a .697 OPS.

Despite the apparent fit, cost could be a significant problem for the Yankees.

ESPN's Buster Olney previously reported Correa was offered a 10-year, $275 million deal by the Detroit Tigers earlier in the offseason but turned it down. 

The superstar will likely still seek this type of deal once the lockout ends, but teams could be restricted by new rules in the collective bargaining agreement. The Yankees already have the third-highest projected payroll for 2022 at $211.2 million, per Spotrac.       

The Detroit Tigers are reportedly no longer an option for free-agent shortstop Carlos Correa despite their interest earlier in the offseason, according to Jim Bowden of The Athletic. 

ESPN's Buster Olney previously reported that Correa turned down a 10-year, $275 million offer from the Tigers. The team instead signed Javier Baez to a six-year, $140 million deal, which will likely end the pursuit of Correa. 

"The Tigers' baseball people would love to circle back and acquire Correa to play alongside Baez, but owner Chris Ilitch doesn’t want another contract of that magnitude on the books, according to a source," Bowden reported.

Baez has played second and third base at times in his career, but he appears likely to man shortstop for Detroit.

Correa will still draw plenty of interest after a year in which he finished fifth in the AL MVP voting. The 27-year-old hit .279 and posted 26 home runs, 92 RBI and 104 runs to go with a Gold Glove award at shortstop.

The two-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year also has tons of postseason experience with the Houston Astros, hitting 18 home runs across 79 games. He's been to the World Series three times, winning one.

He can put a team over the top as a contender, with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners and Chicago Cubs all linked to the shortstop, per Bowden. 

A return to the Astros is also possible, although Correa would reportedly have to settle for a shorter contract.

The challenge could be finding a team willing to spend big after the new collective bargaining agreement is signed. MLB has focused on keeping a low competitive balance tax line, which could affect spending once the lockout ends.      

Free-agent shortstop Carlos Correa was reportedly asking for between $330 million and $350 million on the open market prior to the MLB lockout.

According to MLB Network's Jon Heyman, $330 million was the "clear minimum" Correa wanted in a contract offer.

After enjoying one of his best seasons in 2021 and earning his second All-Star selection with the Houston Astros, Correa was considered one of the top available players when free agency began.

The strong free-agent class was especially stacked at middle infield as shortstops Corey Seager, Javier Baez and Trevor Story and second baseman Marcus Semien joined Correa.

While Correa and Story remain unsigned, Seager signed a 10-year, $325 million deal with the Texas Rangers, Semien joined Seager in Texas on a seven-year, $175 million contract and Baez signed a six-year, $140 million contract with the Detroit Tigers, per Spotrac.

Since Correa and Seager are both 27 years old, it stands to reason they could end up with similar contracts.

Both players are two-time All-Stars and one-time World Series winners, and each won Rookie of the Year. Correa has won a Gold Glove and Platinum Glove, while Seager won two Silver Slugger awards, a National League Championship Series MVP and a World Series MVP with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In seven MLB seasons, Correa owns a .277 batting average with 133 home runs and 489 RBI. That compares favorably to Seager's .297 average, 104 homers and 364 RBI over seven years.

Correa is coming off a strong campaign that saw him hit .279 with a career-high 26 home runs and 104 runs scored, along with 92 RBI, for an Astros team that reached the World Series.

On Tuesday, Correa announced that he has switched agents, severing ties with William Morris Endeavor and hiring Scott Boras.

Boras is the best-known agent in baseball and has a penchant for landing massive deals for his clients, so Correa may be positioned well to reach the $330 million mark.

The Tigers were considered a strong contender to sign Correa when free agency started since Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was his manager in Houston, but they are likely off the table after signing Baez.

A return to Houston could be in the cards, or a suitor like the Dodgers or New York Yankees could emerge.

Free-agent shortstop Carlos Correa will have new representation as he pursues a new deal this offseason.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Tuesday that Correa has hired Scott Boras as his new agent.

"I have made the decision to hire Boras Corporation to represent me moving forward," Correa said in a statement. "Boras Corporation offers the highest level of baseball expertise and proven experience."

Correa had previously been represented by William Morris Endeavor. The move comes in the wake of a report from The Athletic's Evan Drellich that WME could lose its MLB Players Association certification to represent MLB players.

Correa remains a free agent after not signing a contract prior to the lockout. The former Houston Astros star is unable to negotiate a new deal until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. 

At 27 years old, Correa is the most coveted free agent remaining on the market. It is widely believed that he will land a contract in the range of 10 years worth over $300 million. Comparatively, shortstop Corey Seager signed with the Texas Rangers for $325 million over 10 years. The 27-year-old Seager is also represented by Boras.

Correa put together another strong season in 2021, batting .279 with 26 home runs and 92 RBI while recording a career-high 7.2 WAR in the regular season, per Baseball Reference. He earned his second trip to the All-Star Game and also won a Gold Glove for the first time in his career.

Among the teams rumored to be interested in Correa are the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. However, New York may be out of the running, as SNY's Andy Martino recently reported that the Yankees are unlikely to reach Correa's asking price.