This is the Carlos Correa the Minnesota Twins Paid For

The offseason talk has been about the production lost in the rotation. How the Twins replace arms like Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda, and even Tyler Mahle is not yet clear. They added Anthony DeSclafani and get Chris Paddack back, but the group certainly isn’t the same. However, the best version of Carlos Correa helps to supplement the roster in a big way.

Plenty has been made about the health of Byron Buxton in recent seasons, and with good reason, but Correa coming into spring training with familiarity and a clean bill of health is equally important. Last season, Minnesota got 135 games out of their starting shortstop. That was just one shy of his 2022 mark, but Correa really wasn’t the same player. Dealing with nagging plantar fasciitis, Correa was a shell of himself, working to remain on the field as a veteran presence.

When the dust settled, Correa produced a career-low 1.1 fWAR. Across eight full seasons (excluding 2020), the former Houston Astros shortstop had never produced a season with less than 3.4 fWAR. He put up a 4.4 fWAR tally in his debut with the Twins, and in 2021, he finished fifth in the American League MVP voting with a 6.2 fWAR. The ZiPS projection system certainly sees last season as an outlier, with a 4.0 fWAR forecast for 2024.

None of this is lost on Correa. Speaking to reporters (including Twins Daily's John Bonnes) during his initial conversations down in Fort Myers, it was evident he also knows there’s a difference.

“[An offseason without worrying about free agency] was great. It was so chill," Correa said. "I know there are a lot of free agents out there that haven’t signed yet, a lot of big names. I know what that’s like; I went through it a few years, and it’s tough. This was a great offseason for me.” Focusing on playing with his kids and connecting with his wife, Daniella, while just putting in the work was a nice change for the superstar.

It’s not just the mental aspect of not knowing where you will end up, though. He was dealt a tough hand during the 2023 regular season. Er, maybe we should say, it got off on the wrong foot. It clearly impacted him in the field, and that could be why he posted his first negative DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) total of his career. The strong arm has never been a question from the shortstop position, but Correa was merely average on the dirt for the first time as a big leaguer. With the plantar fasciitis (hopefully) behind him, there’s good reason to believe a defensive resurgence is in store.

“It took a little longer than I expected [to go away], but I tested it running and doing the infield work," Correa said. "I’m very positive moving forward. It took a couple of months, but now we’re good.”

Being able to come into spring training as the player he has been, with no distractions, has given the star a new outlook. It’s not just Correa himself who has noticed a difference, either. Rocco Baldelli has worked with Correa for two seasons, and he has seen him deal with the mental side of free agency and uncertainty in each of those years. As a player who experienced health setbacks of his own, the manager can sympathize with what Correa has dealt with as well.

“I think it was a much easier offseason for him to focus on all the little things you need to do to get ready," said Baldelli. "We know he’s very attentive to his body and his needs, but there’s no way around the fact that he had a ton going on last winter. I think he had a good, full, solid offseason. I think he’s ready to go.”

Baldelli also touched on what he saw from his starting shortstop last year, and in having experienced two different seasons from him, it’s not lost on the manager how much Correa dealt with in 2023.

“You have to allow guys space to work through things. He was hurt, but until the end of the season with us in a good spot, that was the only time he was going to allow himself time to [recuperate]. If it took him playing [until] the last day of the regular season for us to make the playoffs, he would’ve done that, too.”

There isn’t much need to daydream about what a healthy version of Correa looks like. A glance at the back of his baseball card shows he is among the most talented players in the game, and it’s why he has a World Series ring already. Baldelli talked about Correa’s mental toughness, allowing him “the ability to still be successful at his job even if he can’t physically do a lot of what he normally would do.” Hearing sentiments like that and knowing both the player and organization see the path forward as normal should excite Twins fans.

A high level of health and availability is something that major league teams hope for across their 26-man roster. The reality is that players will get hurt throughout the season, but the goal is to manage the injuries and avoid those that are serious or that afflict your key players. All being at their peak performance, Correa, Byron Buxton, and Royce Lewis should propel Minnesota well above any lost production from the pitching side of things.

The Twins saw Correa show out as a superstar in 2022. It’s why he was able to step away from the final two years of his contract and pursue another, bigger deal. It’s also why he was given a six-year pact worth $200 million, even after medical concerns scuppered two larger ones, and it’s why the excitement for his production to reach new heights as a 29-year-old could be among the season's biggest storylines.

What would rate as a successful season from Correa, in your book? What do you need to see from him in Grapefruit League and early regular-season play to begin to trust in his health? Join the conversation below.

Reporter credit: @John Bonnes