New York, March 19 (BNA): Short-form star Carlos Correa early Saturday approved a $105.3 million three-year contract with the Minnesota Twins, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The Associated Press (AP) reported that the person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was undergoing a successful physical operation.
The move ends Korea’s seven-year tenure with the Houston Astros. He will earn $35.1 million annually under the deal and can withdraw after the 2022 and 2023 seasons to become a free agent again.
Korea’s selection of the Twins was a surprise, given that they lost 18 consecutive games after the season ended and finished last at AL Central a year ago at 73-89.
His average salary is the fourth highest in baseball after New York Mets player Max Scherzer ($43.3 million), Yankees player Gerrit Cole ($36 million) and Los Angeles Angels player Mike Trout ($35.5 million).
A two-time All-Star and a first pick in the 2012 Amateur Draft, Correa led the Astros’ transformation. Houston lost more than 100 games each year from 2011 to 2013, then won its first world championship by defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games in 2017.
The Astros went on to AL tags and world championship losses in 2019 and last year, and gained notoriety due to the cheating scandal that was exposed after the 2019 season.
Correa had a career best 26 points last year to go along with his batting average of 279 and 92 RBI. He placed fifth in the AL MVP vote and won his first Gold Glove. He has a career average of .277 with 133 Homer and 489 RBI in seven major league seasons.
Correa, 2015 World Player of the Year, was also an excellent post-season performer with 18 homers and 59 RBI in 79 games.
Moving on to twins would be a change for Korea and his family. His wife, Daniela Rodriguez, was Miss Texas USA in 2016.
Minnesota has not played in the World Series since winning the title in 1991 and has lost the last eight episodes of the Postseason Series since defeating Oakland in the 2002 AL Division Series.
Correa had great success in Minnesota as a visiting player. He has a batting average of .413 (26 vs 63) at Target Field with five guards and 20 RBI in 15 games. His 1.205 OPS is his highest at any stadium where he has played four or more matches.
Since the end of the shutdown, the Twins have acquired right-hander Sonny Gray of Cincinnati and catch Gary Sanchez and third baseman Joe Urchela of the New York Yankees.
Before work stopped, Minnesota bowler Dylan Bundy signed a one-year, $5 million deal.
Combined with Nick Castellanos’ $100 million five-year deal with Philadelphia late Friday night, Correa’s deal was his 14th since the nine-figure world championships.
Six of these were negotiated by agent Scott Borras, for a total of $1.0173 billion. In addition to agreements for Correa and Castellanos, he negotiated contracts for Corey Seager ($325 million), Marcus Semien ($175 million) with Texas, Kris Bryant with Colorado ($182 million) and Scherzer with the New York Mets ($130 million) ).
AOQ