Dreaming of Carlos Correa at third base for the Cubs |
There was a time earlier this offseason when it was reported that the Cubs could land two of the prized free-agent shortstops. That was until Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, and Carlos Correa inked massive deals, which forced the Cubs to get something done with Dansby Swanson.
In the end, the Cubs did get something done, which came at a relatively reasonable price of seven years and around 170 million. However, is there still a possibility of the Cubs landing another one of these shortstops to play third? You may wonder how that is possible, considering how the rest of the shortstops have signed. That brings me back to Carlos Correa, whose offseason has been an interesting ordeal, to say the least. After waiting for several weeks, Correa landed a massive 13-year 350 million dollar contract with the San Francisco Giants. After missing out on Aaron Judge, he was their consolation prize, so that was a huge get for them. Then came the physical process where the Giants were concerned about some things, nullifying his deal. Correa wasn't even on the market for 24 hours after that, with the New York Mets picking up him and signing him to a 12-year 315 million dollar contract. It took less money and years, but still a great and massive deal for him. However, just like the Giants, Correa had to go through a physical process where once again, the Mets had the same concerns about the Giants putting his contract on hold. While there is still hope from the Mets they can get a deal done, this has to be very concerning for Correa and any team interested in adding his services. The weirdest part about this situation is how quiet these teams are regarding the injury. It is still unclear what the injury issue is, although we know it has to do with his lower leg. There is a reason why the Correa market was the way it was last season and forced Correa to sign a three-year deal with the Twins with an opt-out after the first year. Could we be in for another one of those markets for Correa again? The longer this issue continues during the physical process, the more likely he will remain unsigned, putting pressure on teams to get something done. It could force him into another short-term situation like last season, but it may be better for Correa if he wants to get paid. If he is indeed put in another short-term contract situation, expect his market to grow more than what it was before and look for the Cubs to get back into the mix. They were one of the teams rumored to be in on him, but it was later revealed that they didn't even offer a contract. Should he hit the market again, I could see the Cubs trying to get him for three or four years at an AAV of 35-40 million per year. That is a ton of money to give to a player that can't pass a physical right now, but at the same time, it is not that much money for what he brings to the table on a short-term fix. Correa is a polarizing fixture and one of the best shortstops in the game. You can bank on him when healthy, hitting around .275 with 30 homers and nearly 100 RBIs every season. He also plays gold glove defense, making him a complete player. His biggest problem has been health, as he has played more than 140 games just once in his career. Now you add these recent concerns to that, and he is becoming a headache of an investment. Last season, the Twins saw an increase in his average, where he almost hit .300. However, the power numbers went way down, and you have to wonder if Correa has given up on power for average. With Swanson now the Cubs SS, Correa is looking at being a SS for whoever he signs with. The only problem is, the longer he goes unsigned, the less likely he has that say with an organization. Regardless of his wishes, should he hit the market again and the Cubs give him the best offer, he would be foolish not to take it. Sure, that would mean moving him to third base, but he is better than anyone they have at the hot corner right now. Think about that infield for a moment. Correa, Swanson, Hoerner, and whoever they have at first. That is three-gold glove candidates out there, which is a pitcher's dream. You also have the DH to consider where the Cubs could use him. His contract status and health situation is a story to keep an eye on as it could have lasting effects the rest of this offseason.
