The Twins Need Correa and Vázquez to Live Up to Their Salaries (So Far, So Good)

It may pale in comparison to Carlos Correa's precedent-shattering $200 million deal signed later in the same winter, but at the time, Christian Vázquez's $30 million free agent contract from Minnesota ranked as one of the biggest ever for this front office. Those two signings contributed to a record-setting 2023 payroll, which has been scaled back significantly here in 2024. 

With the Twins slashing payroll by $35 million, they lost a ton of flexibility to add and supplement around their highest and fourth-highest paid players, meaning they'll need both to carry a whole lot more weight now than in Year One of their new deals.

Hampered for most of the season by a foot injury, Correa put forth his worst campaign as a big-leaguer, posting below-average production that was totally out of line with his career norms. Vázquez's offensive struggles were a little less shocking, as a catcher who's rarely been a great hitter, but his 65 OPS+ was terrible by any standard. The two combined to produce just 2.8 fWAR, and were valued by FanGraphs at around $23 million – well below what they were paid.

Of course, it's fairly clear that the Twins invested in these two accomplished veterans for more than just on-field production. Both players bring a level of experience, leadership and savvy that add to their value in the eyes of a club building around homegrown young talent.

Correa already has a legendary postseason track record: a World Series champ and the active MLB leader in playoff RBIs. Vázquez has been part of two championship teams – Boston in 2018 and Houston in 2022 – under the bright spotlights of big-market settings. These two bring plenty to the clubhouse, which is why they were still valuable last year even as their performances bottomed out. 

This year, the spending reduction means that Correa and Vázquez alone account for nearly 40% of the Twins' payroll, so the team is relying on each for more than a steady presence and good vibes. They need these two to deliver on the field, and so far we're seeing good signs.

Wednesday's sweep-averting victory over the Dodgers was a brilliant showcase of what these two defensive stalwarts can do, especially in tandem. In the sixth inning, with LA looking to move the tying run into scoring position on a steal, Vázquez threw a pea down to second, with Correa applying one of his signature seamless tags to retire James Outman on a play where he seemed to have the pitcher beat.

Two innings later, with the Twins still protecting a one-run lead, the roles were reversed with Vázquez on the receiving end of a spectacular throw-and-tag. Freddie Freeman drilled a ball into the right field corner, and it rattled around while Shohei Ohtani charged around the bases. As the play developed, it became clear that nothing short of a perfect relay would even give the Twins a chance to stopping Ohtani from tying the game.

A perfect relay is what they got. Correa wheeled around from shortstop to the right field line (a designed play), received a strong throw from Alex Kirilloff, and threw a laser beam to Vázquez in the exact right spot. Credit goes to the catcher for rapidly turning around and getting his mitt in front of home plate to tag Ohtani in the nick of time. 

Two phenomenal plays from two big-time players. The Twins will be looking for a whole lot more of that as the season progresses. Correa obviously has the much bigger role as everyday shortstop and lineup cornerstone, but Vázquez is going to get plenty of playing time himself in a timeshare with Ryan Jeffers.

Through the first couple of weeks, Correa has been stellar across the board, with his bat looking much more on par with his peak form. Running as fast as he has in several years, there are no signs Correa's heel is still an issue. He has a ridiculous 170 OPS+ in 10 games.

Vázquez, who set out on a mission to rejuvenate his bat during the offseason, has seemingly seen no returns in the early going. The catcher has managed just two singles and a walk in 17 plate appearances. But believe me when I say the process does NOT match the results. Vázquez has been one of the unluckiest hitters in baseball thus far, with an actual batting average (.133) that's about 150 points short of his xBA (.281). His expected slugging percentage is .527. The 33-year-old has been smoking the ball, just as he did in the spring, and if he keeps it up it's going to start paying off. A glance at his (still materializing) Statcast sliders tell the story of a player who's excelling in a lot of areas.

Improvement from Vázquez will help offset any regression from Jeffers, who's struggled so far, and if Jeffers comes around the catcher position could become a massive source of advantage for the Twins. Shortstop already looks to be solidified as one.

When they're playing like this, Correa and Vázquez are well worth the money, even under a crunched budget. Here's hoping the veterans can keep it rolling.