Chasing after Aaron Judge didn’t end in the way San Francisco Giants fans had hoped, but the front office wasn’t ready to back down from making a splash large enough to reach McCovey Cove.
In the end, it’s Carlos Correa who will be moving to the Bay Area, bringing a boatload of money with him.
According to Jeff Passan, Correa has signed a 13-year, $350 million contract with the Giants, an average value of $26.9 million per season. It’s the fourth-largest contract guarantee in MLB history, topping all shortstops.
Unlike the three-year, $105 million contract Correa signed a year ago with the Minnesota Twins, this one doesn’t feature any opt-outs. It also includes a full no-trade clause, giving him full control over his future.
The Twins’ best offer reportedly came in at 10 years, $285 million to try and retain Correa, a $1.6 million AAV increase over the Giants’ offer, but obviously shorter in length. Their new plan is to pivot to former Atlanta shortstop Dansby Swanson, who’s one of the top position prospects available in free agency.
The Cubs and even Mets were also teams that jumped into the Correa conversation, but evidently, he’ll be taking his talent to Oracle Park instead.
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San Francisco Giants land their superstar with Carlos Correa
Correa, a Gold Glove-winning shortstop, can help the Giants in a multitude of ways. The 28-year-old two-time All-Star may be 41 when the contract expires, but he’ll provide fantastic clubhouse leadership until then.
While he clearly won’t deliver as many home runs as Judge, not even close, Correa is a consistent hitter who’s also proven to be excellent in the field.
- Carlos Correa stats (2022):Â .291/.336/.467, 22 home runs, .834 OPS, 140 wRC+, 4.4 fWAR
Whether Rodon is brought back or not, and this signing may mean there isn’t enough in the budget, Correa will help the Giants’ pitching staff by helping shore up the infield.
Best of all, his presence will help sell tickets and hopefully lead to several more postseason appearances for years to come. The Carlos Correa sweepstakes are over.
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