Former Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa was once the face of Houston’s future. Now, he’s the face of one of the worst contracts in Major League Baseball.
Bleacher Report named Correa’s deal with the Minnesota Twins one of the most “cringeworthy” contracts in the league, and after two and a half seasons, it’s easy to see why. The former No. 1 overall pick, who helped deliver a championship to Houston in 2017, is now an expensive liability for a small-market club that may regret backing up the Brinks truck.
This year alone, Correa is making $37.3 million—the sixth-highest salary in baseball—while posting a .259/.299/.387 slash line with just seven home runs, 29 RBI, and a sub-.700 OPS. His 0.0 bWAR doesn’t even register, and the production doesn’t match the paycheck.
Worse yet, the deal is structured in a way that punishes Minnesota most now, with another $133.3 million still owed through 2028. If his vesting options are exercised, the contract could extend to 2032 at a staggering $203.3 million. That’s a long commitment for a player whose medicals scared off not one, but two teams before he even signed.
Everyone Else Saw It Coming
Let’s not forget how this played out. Correa originally agreed to a 13-year, $350 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. They pulled out. The Mets swooped in with a 12-year, $315 million offer, only to back away after reviewing his medical record. Even when New York tried to renegotiate to six years and $157.5 million, Correa’s camp held out. That’s when the Twins, who should’ve known his health history better than anyone, stepped up with six years and $200 million guaranteed.
They ignored the red flags. Now they’re stuck with an already underwhelming deal that could get much worse.
Injuries have limited Correa to 86 games in 2024 from 135 games the year before. His best season under the current contract remains the six-game postseason in 2023 when he hit .409. But over a 162-game season, he hasn’t delivered anything close to what the Twins need from a franchise cornerstone.
And if Bleacher Report’s piece indicates anything, it’s that teams around the league now view that deal as a cautionary tale, especially for a team like Minnesota that can’t afford such a mistake.
The Astros Walked Away at the Right Time
Correa’s legacy in Houston is secure. He was foundational in the team’s rise from rebuilding punchline to World Series champion. But Astros management made the tough call to let him walk, trusting Jeremy Peña to fill the void. That decision, as tough as it was then, looks smarter by the year.
And Correa’s not the only former or current Astro to get name-checked in Bleacher Report’s article. Jose Altuve was also listed among the league’s worst contracts, though his improved 2025 season is helping soften that criticism.
Still, the lesson is clear: long-term deals for aging stars rarely work out the way teams hope. And for Astros fans watching from afar, Correa’s contract mess is just another reminder of how brutal—and unforgiving—this game can be once the numbers stop adding up.
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