MINNEAPOLIS — On March 23 of last year, Carlos Correa signed a three-year, $105.3 million contract with the Twins.
As the ink dried, we all knew this: He's gone after one season.
The expected opt-out, two failed agreements with National League teams and 293 days later, Correa is going nowhere and could be in town to headline the annual Diamond Awards banquet on Jan. 26.
That's right, Correa is back with the Twins. As crazy as it sounds, it is even crazier to write.
The Twins are winners in this. They retain a premium player who meant just as much in the clubhouse as he did on the field. Their lineup looks more dangerous with Correa's right-handed bat in it. And, as they enter the last year of their local television contract, they have two players in Correa and Byron Buxton — now both signed for the next six seasons — who are ratings boosters. Correa and Buxton, the top two picks from the 2012 draft, can be a lethal 1-2 punch — provided Buxton remains healthy.
Other Twins players are winners, too. There will be a clear ripple effect from No. 4's return to Target Field. Batting champion Luis Arraez, Jose Miranda, Alex Kirilloff and other young hitters get to have Correa's influence close by. Miranda tweeted, "He's back!" as the deal was reached. Jhoan Duran, Joe Ryan, Tyler Mahle, Jorge Lopez ... pitchers want Correa in the lineup and behind them at short. Health is a concern for this team and there is no true ace on the staff, but there is a foundation in place that can compete.
Correa: He's a winner in this, too. He's getting long-term security. He's back with a familiar team. He avoids having to play third base in New York, where his numbers would not have stood out. And the average annual value of the guaranteed part of his contract is a hefty $33.33 million.
The Mets: losers. They attempted to lop off half of the guaranteed part of the deal, offering six years and $157.5 million. Now we know why negotiations dragged on. It's hard to believe that guaranteed money stopped a deal that was initially struck by free-spending owner Steve Cohen.
The rest of the AL Central: losers. Correa is back in the division. Cleveland still has a top pitching staff, and the White Sox will be looking to improve post-Tony La Russa. But the Twins won't feel overmatched by either team.
Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee: temporary losers in this deal. Lewis was expected to rejoin the lineup by July after recovering from a torn ACL. Lee, the eighth overall pick in last year's draft, showed considerable potential as he reached Class AA in his first season as a pro. Both shortstop prospects can develop at a more deliberate pace now. And shortstops can be moved anywhere. Hopefully the next time Lewis steps on a warning track, he remembers what it means. He has plenty of time to get work in the outfield now.
The Twins front office: winners. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine salvaged the offseason by inking Correa. And they remain on the lookout for pitching help via trade, both starters and relievers. And they outbid Cohen for a marquee player. Anything is possible.
The indications are that the exam results on Correa's right ankle are far from flattering. But being concerned over 12 or 13 guaranteed years is one thing. Guaranteeing six years, a Twins official told me, is another. And Correa fell into the Twins' sweet spot.
And Twins fans: winners. It took a roundabout way and a couple troublesome physical exams, but this is one time the team didn't lose a good player. They have a team with upside led by Correa and Buxton.
