Blowing It Up: Twins Trade Carlos Correa Back to Houston Astros, to Save Money

[Matthew Trueblood]

Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins are trading Carlos Correa back to the Houston Astros, according to multiple reports. The deal will involve, principally, the cash-strapped Minnesota front office getting out from under most of the contract to which they re-signed Correa after his star-crossed free agency in the winter of 2022-23. Brian McTaggart of MLB.com had the news first.

Correa is in the third of six guaranteed years on the complicated, team-friendly deal the Twins struck with him in January 2023. He’s making $36 million this year, which means there’s $12 million left for 2025 alone. After that, though, his pay gradually decreases. He’ll earn $31.5 million in 2026, $30.5 million in 2027 and $30 million in 2028, all guaranteed—then, there are four club options, with the value stepping downward in $5-million increments each year. Those options can vest based on playing time, but the Astros can manage his playing time in whichever of those seasons they’d like.

This trade is, effectively, a salary dump—and, as such, a sad and embittering end to a once-promising Twins tenure for a player who joined the team when he was on a Hall of Fame career trajectory. Plantar fasciitis and other injuries have eroded his skills and curtailed his production, but as much as anything, this divorce became necessary because Correa’s deal was struck by a team anticipating a steadily increasing payroll, which then had the rug pulled out from under it by an ownership group now running for the door.

Correa, for his part, has done whatever he could to foster a winning atmosphere, and will continue to do so as he returns to the organization that took him first overall in 2012. He's sliding to third base for the Astros.

The full extent of the deal is still far from clear, but while the Twins are eating a portion of the nine-figure sum still owed to Correa, they've offloaded the lion's share of it.

There will be a prospect coming back to the Twins. That's not really a surprise. It's unlikely to be an especially high-echelon talent, though—and that leaves more questions to answer, too. 

As it turns out, though, "prospect" is rather a strong word. The hurler the team will receive is Matt Mikulski, a 26-year-old organizational arm who had been pitching at High A in the Houston system. Meanwhile, according to multiple reports, the Twins will eat $33 million of the remaining money owed to Correa, so they're getting off the hook for about twice that much.

In theory, the upside of a trade like this is to open space for young players and to free up money to make it easier to retain up-and-coming pieces who look like the foundations of a new core. In practice, at this moment, it looks as though the benefits of this deal redound mostly to the Pohlad family. Reinvestment of the money saved seems unlikely, in the short term, and the team certainly didn't acquire an impactful player to balance the one they're losing. On the other hand, Correa's age and recent performance remind us that the uglier half of this contract is likely ahead, not behind. The greatest source of frustration, perhaps, is that the situation arose where this measure was even considered. Once it did, making this trade was logical.

Most baseball fans just don't follow the game for the logic of it.

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[AceBee]

Didn't see that coming ! Won't be surprised if he flips the switch and suddenly becomes the clutch hitter for Astros down the stretch 

[weitz41]

WOW!!! Falvey must have stopped and filled a couple gas cans on his way to work this morning. Burning down the BP and the SS as well...

[farmerguychris]

I know he hasn't been as productive as we would have wished - but we KNOW this salary dump won't  be reinvested in the team.

Pohlads sure make it hard to be a fan.

😠

[bloomwcjkl]

Makes perfect sense. Brooks Lee to SS.

Learn the lesson. No $36 million players. Small ball. Billy Beane ball.

I was relieved when Carlos signed with the Mets and then stunned when he came back.

Great guy, but not what the Twins need right now. I like it.

[nicksaviking]

1 minute ago, AceBee said:

Didn't see that coming ! Won't be surprised if he flips the switch and suddenly becomes the clutch hitter for Astros down the stretch 

He does seem to scale his performances up to the moment.

Probably would have been worth every penny the Twins paid him if the organization didn't fart around prioritizing a sale and waste everyone's time the last two years.

[NYCTK]

Proper reset. 

This is exciting. Correa was not it. 

[gman]

I wonder if the Twins will get anything in return? Like maybe a free plate of Bar-B-Q.

[Vanimal46]

Who pushed for this trade to happen more? Correa or Pohlads?

[David Levy]

Wow - did not see this coming as well!  Not much for any new owners.😢

did the twins get anything from the astros besides cash back? 

[Rufus]

Salary dump?  He was not performing up to expectations and his future looked dismal with the Twins. He may be able to rejuvenate his career in Houston  Kind of an albatross off the Twins neck.  This will free up money for the Twins to their sign younger players. 

[farmerguychris]

Just now, gman said:

I wonder if the Twins will get anything in return? Like maybe a free plate of Bar-B-Q.

I expect we'll get little to nothing in return and had to pay a portion of his contract.

 

[rdehring]

Huge move that should enable the Twins to begin getting better beginning next year.  Have believed for some time that Correa's salary combined with his rapidly declining level of play was what was killing the Twins.  

Hopefully this will clear the way for any pending sale and a new owner will bring exciting baseball back to those of us who have gone without for toooooo long.

[Irishman]

2 minutes ago, gman said:

I wonder if the Twins will get anything in return? Like maybe a free plate of Bar-B-Q.

Who cares?  I don't freaking care about Minnesota Twins.  Freaking Pohlad!

[UK Twin]

Absolutely fine with trading Correa. Provided that the Pohlad's sell the team before the end of the season and get the hell out of Minnesota.

[Pdub]

Looks like Coulombe to the Rangers as well. 

[farmerguychris]

Bobby Nightengale reports deal involves other MLB players?  Who else did we send them to take on that contract?

 

[UK Twin]

And I'm honestly waiting for the news that Ryan has been traded.

[CRF]

Never seen anything like this in all my years. Why stop now? Fire Rocco too!

[Eris]

I think this was a good move for the Twins. Correa was slowing down at SS (there was an article on TD about a month ago about how poor his defensive metrics were). The Twins could really only justify his salary if a 4 WAR player who could be written in the lineup card everyday. 

[twinstalker]

7 minutes ago, AceBee said:

Didn't see that coming ! Won't be surprised if he flips the switch and suddenly becomes the clutch hitter for Astros down the stretch 

Sure, Get it on, Bang a gong, Get it on

.

[twinstalker]

2 minutes ago, farmerguychris said:

Bobby Nightengale reports deal involves other MLB players?  Who else did we send them to take on that contract?

 

I guessed last night that it's going to be Javier and Caratino due to salary.

[rdehring]

This should get the Twins payroll down to the same level as the White Sox, Tampa, Cleveland and KC.  Now let's see if the FO, or the next FO can learn how to structure a team that is exciting on that reduced payroll.

[Aggies7]

Overall was a bust for the money. Some great defense but the offense was just not there enough. Figured it would happen when he jilted us for two other teams and came back anyway. Probably never really wanted to be here $$$$ 

[nicksaviking]

I really could care less if they get rid of Correa's contract. Looking at next year's free agent class the only guys I'd want are Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso, Kyle Tucker or Kyle Scwarber. Even if the Twins offered top dollar, are any of them even going to consider going to a rebuilding team that is showing clear train-wreck tendencies?

[howeda7]

Derek Falvey accidentally traded himself to the Rangers. Zoll in a panic. Details incoming.

[tony&rodney]

The Saints have had a tough time competing in the International League (14th) this year. How are they going to do in the American League in the next two months?

 

[Mike Sixel]

1 minute ago, nicksaviking said:

I really could care less if they get rid of Correa's contract. Looking at next year's free agent class the only guys I'd want are Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso, Kyle Tucker or Kyle Scwarber. Even it the Twins offered top dollar, are any of them even going to consider going to a rebuilding team that is showing clear train-wreck tendencies?

I always say they take the money, but no....not unless there are new owners and a new FO.

[TopGunn#22]

Javier and Caratini would be interesting if the Twins are actually taking salary back.  It remains to be seen how much the Twins had to eat, but reports are that it is no where near the $50 million the Astros wanted.

The Pohlad's won't reinvest that salary, but you can bet new ownership and new leadership certainly will.  The sooner a sale is approved and announced...THE BETTER.  The Twins just weren't getting what they paid for with Carlos.  Hopefully reinvestment will work out better.  

I'm glad the Twins realized they needed to SELL and sell BIG.  Just don't trade Joe Ryan.  You're bringing in plenty of new faces already.  KEEP RYAN.  

[Mike Sixel]

I was OK with dealing him, as this core isn't good enough. On the theory that might mean this FO and manager play all the yutes. But then they trade FOR OUTMAN, who is old and bad.......so I have no idea at this point what the plan actually is.