Carlos Correa Was the Twins’ 2024 MVP, Until He Wasn’t

After winning its first playoff series in two decades, Minnesota entered the 2024 season with high expectations. Carlos Correa was at the center of those expectations, because he was healthy after battling plantar fasciitis in 2023. When the Twins re-signed Correa, he brought high expectations with him. Correa’s pedigree as a two-time All-Star, World Series champion, and a strong defender made him the highest-paid player on the team. He more than lived up to that billing in the first half of the season. Unfortunately, an untimely injury derailed his season and the team’s postseason dreams.

Correa’s 2024 season started as a redemption tour. He came into the year with a chip on his shoulder to prove the 2023 season was a fluke. Last year, he played 135 games but struggled with a 94 OPS+ while setting the team record with 30 GDP. By the time the All-Star break rolled around, there was no question that Correa had not only shaken off the rust but was thriving at a level fans had rarely seen from him in a Twins uniform. 

He slashed an impressive .308/.377/.520, with 16 doubles, three triples, and 13 home runs through the first 75 games of the season, combining his power and plate discipline in ways that brought comparisons to his best years in Houston. Correa’s defense also returned to elite form, with an OAA in the 87th percentile, providing critical value on both sides of the ball. It was arguably his best first half in his illustrious career. 

The result? Correa earned a well-deserved All-Star nod, reminding everyone why Minnesota committed to the largest contract in franchise history to keep him. His leadership, poise, and production had the Twins comfortably holding a playoff spot heading into the break.

Then disaster struck. Shortly before the Midsummer Classic, Correa suffered another bout with plantar fasciitis, this time in his right foot. It was initially unclear how much time he would miss, but as days turned to weeks, his absence loomed larger. As the calendar turned to September, it was evident that if Correa returned, it would be with less than 100% healthy. 

The Twins floundered without Correa anchoring the lineup and stabilizing the infield defense. His presence on both sides of the ball was sorely missed. The once-surging team found itself stumbling, struggling to generate offense, and unable to win vital divisional matchups. The slide was painful and, for many fans, frustratingly familiar. Minnesota went 29-38 (.432 W-L%) from his last game in July to the end of the season. The playoffs, once a near certainty, were slipping out of reach. 

What made Correa’s injury all the more frustrating for the team was the pressure surrounding him. As the team’s highest-paid player, the expectations were immense. The front office, the fans, and even Correa knew he needed to be the central figure in any Twins' success. 

And for the first half of 2024, he embraced that role with open arms. His absence became glaring in his two-month absence, and the Twins failed to fill the void. With so much invested in Correa, this felt like a season that could’ve been saved had he been healthy. It was a stark reminder of Minnesota's reliance on their superstar, especially in light of ownership cutting $30 million from the payroll this winter. Correa takes up such a large percentage of the team’s financial commitment that he is essential for the team to succeed. 

The Twins' playoff hopes evaporated as the regular season came to a close. September’s stretch of games turned into a nightmare, with Minnesota’s offense flatlining without its MVP in the middle of the lineup. Correa returned in the middle of September, but by that point, the team was beyond saving. He went 13-for-40 (.325 BA) with four doubles and a home run in 11 games, but the Twins ultimately fell short.

Minnesota missed the postseason for the second time in Correa’s three seasons with the club, and many will point to his injury as the defining moment of the collapse. While baseball is a team sport, the Twins' late-season struggles underscored how much Correa had meant to their success.

The 2024 season is one of missed opportunities for Minnesota. Correa’s All-Star first half showed what could be possible when he’s healthy and at his best, but his absence down the stretch was a sobering reminder that one player can’t win or save a season on their own. He finished the season as the team's leader in fWAR and rWAR, showcasing his great first half and how poorly the team performed without him. The Twins, already facing questions about their future roster construction, now must hope that Correa’s health returns to form in 2025 and beyond. 

For Correa, his MVP-caliber start in 2024 should serve as motivation to return stronger, hungrier, and with unfinished business. Minnesota will need him more than ever. And for Twins fans, there’s hope that this star can guide them back to where they want to be—a playoff team with championship aspirations.

Is Correa still the team’s 2024 MVP? Who would make your top-five ballot? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.