Report: Astros didn't budge from 5-year, $160M offer to Correa
The Houston Astros were apparently never close to re-signing Carlos Correa.
Despite Astros owner Jim Crane recently saying the team was in discussions with Correa's agent, Houston didn't make him a new offer over the past week and never budged from a five-year, $160-million proposal from November, sources told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.
The 27-year-old wound up signing a reported three-year, $105.3-million contract with the Minnesota Twins, leaving behind the only team he's ever known in the process.
"I always had hopes (he would return) until last night," Correa's former teammate Yuli Gurriel told MLB.com's Joe Trezza following the trade. "It's been seven years together. He was one of the best teammates, and I'll never forget him, helping us to win that 2017 championship. … It was very surprising, but this is a business, and things happen."
Correa will earn $35.1 million per season in his new deal. It's the most lucrative contract for an infielder in baseball, and Correa's average annual value makes him the fourth-highest paid player overall behind Max Scherzer, Mike Trout, and Gerrit Cole.
The Puerto Rican earned his deal after a stellar 2021 campaign that included a .279/.366/.485 slash line with 26 home runs and 92 RBIs, as well as some sensational defense.
With Correa gone, the Astros intend to start rookie Jeremy Pena at shortstop.