The Chicago Cubs could be in play for Carlos Correa, but they have some competition — and no, it’s not his current team, the Minnesota Twins.
Carlos Correa is likely to opt out of his contract with the Twins, which was widely expected given the shortstop market this offseason. Correa was forced to sign a short-term deal with Minnesota last offseason after initially seeking a 8-to-10 year deal at the beginning of free agency.
He could have better luck this winter, though he’ll be disappointed with the Cubs answer. These two sides have negotiated before, and Chicago wouldn’t go beyond a reported five years or so.
The Twins won’t either, which leads many to wonder — is Correa the Cubs target to lose?
Should the Cubs be favored to land Carlos Correa?
Correa’s market has only just begun to form, so we don’t know how much he’ll be offered, and the years and AAV on said deals. That will determine how interested Chicago is in adding another top middle infield talent next to Nico Hoerner.
“We have total confidence in Nico’s ability to play shortstop,” Jed Hoyer said, per The Athletic. “But, yes, the way the game is trending, athleticism in the middle infield will make a big difference.”
That sounds like a team ready to make a big splash.
Cubs biggest competition for Carlos Correa
Chicago’s biggest competition for Correa’s services may come from the AL East. With the Baltimore Orioles on the verge of contention, O’s general manager Mike Elias sounds like he’s ready to spend big on this team.
FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray theorized that Baltimore would make a lot of sense for Correa:
“The Orioles have a strong young core, headlined by Adley Rutschman, and are viewed by rival executives as a team that could make a splash in free agency. Correa, arguably the best free-agent shortstop, would fit that description … if the price is right. One note to consider: Mike Elias, the Orioles general manager, was the Astros’ amateur scouting director when Houston drafted Correa.”
As Murray pointedly notes, Correa already has a connection to Baltimore in the form of Elias. That can only help matters.