Perhaps the third time will be the charm for Carlos Correa this offseason.
Correa is amid one of the more chaotic free-agency tours in Major League Baseball history. The star shortstop reportedly initially agreed to a megadeal with the Giants, but the pact fell apart after San Francisco became concerned about the results of his physical. The same story reportedly goes for the New York Mets, who agreed to a deal with Correa almost three weeks ago but still haven't finalized a contract as of Tuesday morning.
All the while, Correa's most recent club has kept in touch with Scott Boras and company. And according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Dan Hayes, talks between Correa and the Twins are "accelerating."
Minnesota reportedly was in the Correa sweepstakes from the get-go, offering the 28-year-old a 10-year, $285 million deal. Bigger-market teams like the Giants and the Mets can easily trump the Twins' best efforts, but if those financial juggernauts eventually get out of the mix, Minnesota could find itself as the best option for Correa.
The medical aspect of negotiations might be less stressful for the Twins, too. After all, Minnesota rostered the two-time All-Star for the 2022 season and was able to get a first-hand look at him every day for roughly seven months.
That said, the Mets reportedly are "not necessarily out of the bidding" for Correa. And if you factor in Steve Cohen's typical aggressive nature, Correa ending up in Queens probably still is a distinct possibility.
