A Tale of Carlos Correa’s All-Star Seasons

When the Minnesota Twins found themselves positioned to sign Carlos Correa for the first time, followed a transition by the Houston Astros. The World Series-winning franchise had decided Jeremy Pena was their future at shortstop, and Correa was out on the open market. Trying to work through a lockout-shortened offseason, Scott Boras brought Correa to Minnesota on what was essentially a one-year contract.

The Twins' new shortstop posted the second-highest OPS+ of his career, but the Twins fell short of expectations, winning just 78 games. After being snubbed by both the Mets and Giants last offseason, Correa returned on a long-term deal that could have him end his career in Minnesota. Plantar fasciitis sapped his overall effectiveness and allowed him to produce just a 95 OPS+. Now back and healthy, he looks like a superstar again, and the previous All-Star seasons are past glimpses of that.

2017 - 155 OPS+ 4.9 fWAR
In just his third season at the big league level, Correa had already bloomed into a star. He batted .315, eclipsing .300 for the first time in his career, and his 155 OPS+ remains a career high. The Astros shortstop set a new career-high with 24 homers, and he had quickly elevated himself to being among the best shortstops across the entire league. Ultimately, the Midsummer Classic was just part of the story as Houston went on to win the World Series.

2021 - 131 OPS+ 6.3 fWAR
During his final season with the Astros, Correa knew he was playing for his next contract. The baseball wasn’t the same used during the 2019 season, but that didn’t stop him from hitting a career-best 26 home runs. He wound up winning his first Gold Glove, which is relatively surprising that he hasn’t earned more than one. Making it back to the World Series, the Astros came up one game short as they lost to the Atlanta Braves.

2024 - 148 OPS+ 3.2 fWAR
Correa put up very good numbers during his first season with the Twins. During his first season with the Twins. This year, he has put up great numbers. Correa missed a bit of time due to an oblique strain but has always been incredibly healthy. He is tracking towards his best season as a big leaguer in terms of WAR, and he has helped push Minnesota towards the top of the AL Central. Where the dust settles on his statistics as a whole remains to be seen, but there are a few categories where he could set new career highs. Additionally, as the team leader on a roster with multiple personalities, Correa’s presence has been just as important as his production.

In the tenth year of his major league career, Correa has never gone to the All-Star Game in a season where he didn’t play for the World Series. Minnesota hasn’t been back to the Fall Classic since 1991, and after winning a playoff series last year, that step would be amazing.

This is absolutely the player Minnesota hoped they were getting when handing Correa a $200 million contract. He has lived up to the expectations and then some. What else he can accomplish in 2024 remains to be seen, but hoping trends continue is the goal.