After a saga of events, Mets miss on Carlos Correa

I hope no one bought their kids Carlos Correa New York Met jerseys over the holidays. Or maybe I do.

Correa signed his third contract of the Tuesday, signing a six-year, $200 million deal with the Minnesota Twins that can reach a maximum value of $270 million, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported first:

BREAKING: Shortstop Carlos Correa and the Minnesota Twins are finalizing a six-year, $200 million contract, sources tell ESPN. The deal has a vesting option that can max out at $270 million. It is pending physical.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 10, 2023

This comes less than two months after Correa’s first reported mega-deal, a 13-year deal with the San Francisco Giants, and just three weeks after his second reported mega-deal, a 12-year agreement with the Mets. Instead of the two big markets, Correa will instead return to Minnesota where he played one season in 2022 after seven in Houston.

Now you may be thinking, what if this deal falls through? Issues with Correa’s physicals, which reportedly caused his deals with the Giants and Mets to fall through, should not be a huge concern for the Twins. Correa’s deal with the Twins is also pending a physical, however, the franchise is comfortable enough with his physical status that they paid him last season. The Twins signed Correa to a three-year, $105.3 million deal last off-season, which he opted out of. Also, the Twins cut his contract down seven years from his initial deal, which should only help.

The loss of Correa means the Mets will likely give Eduardo Escobar, Luis Guillorme, or Brett Baty the job to fill the hole at third base in 2023. The Mets have had another pricey and solid offseason, but the loss of Correa can only help the Phillies.

Correa, 28, played 136 games at shortstop last year for the Twins and hit .291 with a .834 OPS, hitting 22 home runs, and driving in 64 RBI while posting a .983 fielding percentage.

Correa, along with new Phillie Trea Turner, new Padre Xander Bogaerts, and new Cub Dansby Swanson, was considered one of four top-shortstops heading into free agency this offseason. Turner’s deal with the Phils ended up being the most prosperous of the four players in total value at $300 million over 11 years, but Correa’s carries the highest average annual value at $45 million a year. Turner will be paid $27 million a year.

As Phillies fans, we can only sit back and laugh. It is just as Metsy as it getsy.