Minnesota Twins: 3 reasons to avoid signing Carlos Correa

In a previous post, we outlined three reasons why the Minnesota Twins should pursue free agent shortstop Carlos Correa this offseason. As we pointed out in that article, Correa might be the biggest name set to become a free agent this winter, and several teams, including the Twins, are rumored to be interested.

It makes sense that the Twins would be in on Correa, for the reasons we mentioned. However, signing any big-name free agent involves a lot of risk and has some potential downsides, and the possibility of Correa going to the Twins is no exception. Let’s play devil’s advocate here and highlight three reasons why signing Correa may not be a good idea.

Minnesota Twins: 3 reasons to avoid signing Carlos Correa

There are plenty of other options at shortstop.

While Correa would be a nice addition to almost any lineup, it’s not like the Twins are lacking options at short next season. They could move Jorge Polanco to short (with Luis Arraez playing second). They could give Nick Gordon more of a look. And though we mentioned in the other article that Royce Lewis and Austin Martin are not guarantees to pan out, they both are still highly regarded and could make the signing of Correa superfluous in a couple of years. Signing a stopgap player while those two get ready in the minors might be the more responsible play.

The team has higher priorities.

This team needs pitching, and lots of it. If they are going to hand out a big contract this winter, perhaps going after a big-name starting pitcher or two would help fill a bigger need than the shortstop position. Then there’s Byron Buxton, as many fans are pleading for a contract extension for their outfielder. If the team doesn’t pay Buxton what he is seeking but is willing to hand out a massive contract to Correa, that could send a bad message to the fans who love Buxton and to Buxton himself. While the Twins should have some money to spend this offseason, it’s not like they’ll be able to break the bank by addressing all these things in one winter.

Correa might be overrated.

Especially since the New York Yankees are likely to be involved, Correa is going to be in for a huge payday. Is he worth it? There’s no denying that he’s a good player and that he’s had a great 2021 season. But the traditional statistics and accolades aren’t exactly overwhelming. He’s only batted above .279 once in his career. He’s never driven in 100 runs or hit more than 26 homers, and he’s played on some great teams. He’s never placed higher than 17th in MVP voting (though that will change this year). And while his OPS+ is 131 this year, just a year ago it was 93. I’d hate to see the Twins overpay for a player just based on what he’s done in 2021.