SAN FRANCISCO — Standing at his locker in the visitor’s clubhouse at Oracle Park, Carlos Correa was asked if he had contemplated what it might have looked like had his megadeal two winters ago came to fruition and this had become his home ballpark for the next 13 years.
“Twelve now,” he said, cracking a smile.
The Twins’ visit this weekend to close the first half is also the first time Correa has been back in San Francisco since his agent, Scott Boras, called him into his hotel room and informed him that he had failed his physical and that his press conference scheduled for the next morning at Oracle Park was off.
Recently named an All-Star for the third time in his career, the 29-year-old shortstop appeared at peace with how the process played out.
“Whatever happened that year happened,” he said. “I’ve moved on. I’m very happy where I’m at right now.”
Now in the second season of his new deal with the Twins, his third overall in Minnesota, Correa has returned to the form that made him one of the most sought-after players available two offseasons ago and, the Giants believed, a viable backup plan to acquire a superstar when their pursuit of Aaron Judge went awry.
While the Giants’ middling first half has, according to president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, “been a real source of dissatisfaction,” the Twins are firmly in playoff position, 13 games above .500, and Correa has been no small part of their success.
He batted .230 with a .711 OPS (94 OPS+) while battling injuries last season (though, no issues with his surgically repaired right ankle, the body part Giants doctors flagged) but has improved those figures to .310 and .905 (154 OPS+) and is already only five home runs away from matching his total of 18 last year, a career-low over a full season. His 3.6 Wins Above Replacement have made him the fifth-most valuable shortstop in the majors this season, according to FanGraphs.
The parallel universe where none of that takes place and Correa becomes the successor to Brandon Crawford isn’t so far away. Just how close was that alternate reality?
“A press conference away,” Correa said, looking up from tying his cleats to offer a smirk.
Minnesota Twins’ Carlos Correa, left, warms up before a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Friday, July 12, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Correa’s agreed-upon deal in San Francisco would have paid him $350 million over 13 years. It fell apart when a doctor raised concerns about Correa’s ankle, which had been surgically repaired in the minor leagues. When the Giants backed out, Correa had another deal lined up with the New York Mets worth a reported $315 million over 12 years, but upon examining Correa’s medicals, they reneged, too.
“It was obviously an emotional night for the family,” Correa said. “I remember Scott calling the room. I remember when I signed the first deal here in Minnesota (before the 2022 season), he was like, ‘It’s done.’ Super simple. This time he said, ‘Come to the room, we need to talk.’ That’s when I knew something had to be wrong. He gave me the news, and the ordeal happened. I flew out the next day.”
Correa ended up signing a six-year, $200 million agreement with Minnesota, which also gives him the ability to opt out and become a free agent again this winter.
He was asked what it felt like to lose $150 million.
“Well, I never had it,” Correa said. “So I never lost it.”
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Where Marco Luciano fits in SF Giants’ shortstop picture
The Giants have since cycled through nine players at shortstop — Brandon Crawford, Brett Wisely, Casey Schmitt, Johan Camargo, Marco Luciano, Nick Ahmed, Paul DeJong, Thairo Estrada and Tyler Fitzgerald — and, after designating Ahmed for assignment this week, appear comfortable handing the reins to Wisely, 25, and Fitzgerald, 26, while Luciano, their top prospect and presumed successor, remains at Triple-A Sacramento.
Comparatively, the Giants’ combination of shortstops this season has been worth 1.4 Wins Above Replacement, according to FanGraphs, while batting a combined .266/.312/.395 (103 wRC+). While they reallocated much of the money earmarked for Correa and Judge to a $300-plus million investment this past offseason, they are still seeking the franchise cornerstone they momentarily believed they had secured.
Correa made it clear that the three-game series in San Francisco didn’t elicit any added emotions, but he took the opportunity to reflect on the process.
“I was excited to explore the city. I was looking for housing and all that, so it was exciting,” Correa said. “But once it fell through, it was time to move on.”