Carlos Correa is about to become a very rich man.
The Houston Astros star will be a free agent following the 2021 World Series, and the 27-year-old headlines a bumper crop of shortstops hitting the open market.
Among the teams needing an upgrade at shortstop are the New York Yankees. But Hal Steinbrenner’s deep pockets might not be enough to land the two-time All-Star.
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Astros owner Jim Crane made it quite clear that he doesn’t plan on letting Correa walk without putting up a fight. Per the Houston Chronicle:
“I think we have a chance ... It just depends on where we end up on that and what Carlos wants to do. Certainly dollars are a factor. ... I never count anything out. ... We have a history of doing something in the neighborhood of five (years) is the most we’ve ever done since I’ve been here. Things can change. We’re not counting it out.”
Correa, along with Colorado Rockies’ Trevor Story, Los Angeles Dodgers’ Corey Seager and New York Mets’ Javier Baez, expect to land massive nine-figure contracts as free agents.
The Yankees need a new plan at shortstop after moving Gleyber Torres back to second base. But if New York wants to sign right-fielder Aaron Judge to a long-term contract extension and re-sign first baseman Anthony Rizzo, general manager Brian Cashman might not have enough money on the payroll to add a star shortstop.
It’s also possible Cashman decides he doesn’t need a big-name shortstop and instead goes with a short-term fix while waiting for top-rated prospect Anthony Volpe to be ready for the majors.
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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.
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