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To say the Pohlad family went out of their comfort zone when they signed Carlos Correa to a $200 million contract in January of 2023 would be an understatement. It was the largest free-agent contract they'd ever signed by a margin of more than $100 million. Two prior contract agreements elsewhere had to fall through to even bring Correa into the range of remote feasibility, but when the opportunity to land a generational talent was in front of them, the Twins took it. The Pohlads stepped up.
I commended them for doing so, just as I did two years earlier when they did what it took to lock up Byron Buxton. I continue to commend it. The Correa contract wasn't just a big deal by Twins standards; it was a big deal period. One of the 30 largest contracts ever handed out by a major-league team, a list dominated by large-market powerhouses.
The Pohlads went into that historic agreement with eyes open. They knew how it would impact their payroll over the following seven years. They had to have some understanding at the time of the revenue uncertainty to come, albeit maybe not the full extent of it. Their message was nonetheless clear and assertive.
“I think it's great for the organization, great for the fans," said Joe Pohlad, celebrating his signature move as newly-appointed ownership figurehead. "And hopefully what it reiterates to the fan base is that our commitment to winning." It did, at the time. Looking back two years later, one question that comes to mind.
What was the point?
While it would be a stretch to say Correa's contract has gone entirely to plan over the first two seasons, it's been far from a disaster. In the first year, despite his struggles due to a foot injury, Correa helped the Twins advance in the playoffs for the first time in almost 20 years. In the second year, he missed 76 games with another foot injury, but when on the field he played at a legitimate MVP-caliber level. While his multiple bouts with plantar fasciitis have been concerning, he did come back productively at year's end, inspiring hope that he can rebound physically in 2025.
No, he hasn't been exactly what you'd hope for as a $70 million player between 2023-24, but Correa has been FAR from a Javier Baez-level disaster where you basically just have to write off the contract as a sunk cost and try to succeed in spite of it. He remains a viable championship building block as he enters his 30s, still in the heart of his prime.
And yet, one year after signing Correa, the Twins stripped down their payroll around him, sabotaging a playoff-caliber squad that unraveled in the shortstop's absence. Correa was deprived of a chance to deliver more postseason heroics, and as we look ahead to a reshaped competitive landscape in the Central next year, ownership seems inclined to follow the same inexplicable path.
There have been indications that they won't further reduce spending after slashing payroll by $30 million last offseason, but even if true, that still leaves the Twins and their front office in a precarious position as they attempt to retool and rebound following their historic collapse.
This is where I just sort of get lost in trying to grasp the logic and mindset behind what's happening. Look, if finances and the bottom line are the guiding factors for the Pohlads, I understand it. I don't agree with it, but I understand. If that's the case, though, then why the hell did they make such a bold statement to the contrary, both literally and figuratively? Why sign Correa, or Buxton or Pablo Lopez for that matter? The club now has $70 million in guaranteed money tied up in those three for each of the next three years. And they are worthy foundational building blocks! Now we're suddenly going to decide to skimp on the rest of the construction?
The Minnesota Twins managing to end up with Carlos Correa was one of the most unlikely free-agent outcomes we've ever seen. It created a unique opportunity for this franchise to truly push behind one of the most celebrated performers in the league. His age-30 season lies ahead and he's shown that if healthy he can be exactly who they thought he was. In two or three years, we may not feel as confident in that.
Spending an extra $10-20 million this offseason would be pretty insignificant relative to the investment they've already made in Correa. But it could have an outsized effect on getting the most from that investment by supplementing the roster around him rather than dismantling it. If you're not willing to take that modest step toward actualizing the goals set forth by that monumental signing, then what was the point of it to begin with?
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