Detroit Tigers, Carlos Correa flirting, but $300M payday cools chase

Carlos Correa has the Detroit Tigers on his radar.

The Tigers have spoken to representatives of all five premier shortstops on the free-agent market: Correa, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Trevor Story and Javier Baez. While the Tigers make sense for a lot of these players, Correa is the one significantly interested in coming to Detroit.

Reports: Red Sox sign Rockies SS Trevor Story to play 2B

AP

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — The Red Sox have reportedly agreed to terms with Rockies All-Star shortstop Trevor Story on a six-year, $140 million contract that would bring him to Boston to play second base.

The deal, which was first reported by USA Today and confirmed by multiple outlets, gives the Red Sox a long-term answer at second, which has been in flux since former AL MVP Dustin Pedroia was first injured in 2017, and leaves Xander Bogaerts in place at shortstop. The team also has a backup plan on the left side of the infield if Bogaerts opts out of his contract at the end of this season.

Story, 29, batted .251 with 24 homers and 75 RBIs for the Rockies last season, an off-year that followed three straight years in which he received NL MVP votes. In five major league seasons, he has never played any defensive position other than shortstop.

“He’s a big bat. We know what he does defensively already. I think that bat would play really well at Fenway just with that short porch over there,” Bogaerts told MLB.com last week when the deal was first rumored.

“It would be nice if we could get an addition like that after some of the big names that we lost to free agency or traded away," Bogaerts said. "That’s a big boy. That’s a big bat right there. That’s an impact player.”

Story is the last to sign of a free agent shortstop class that sent Corey Seager to Texas (10 years, $325 million); Javier Báez to Detroit (six, $140 million); and, just this weekend, Carlos Correa to Minnesota (three, $105 million). Marcus Semien, a longtime shortstop who played second base for Toronto last season, signed a seven-year, $175 million contract with the Rangers.

Story is a lifetime .272 hitter with 158 homers and 450 RBIs in 745 career games. He has benefitted from the thin air in Denver, hitting .303 with 95 homers and 279 RBIs at Coors Field and .241 with 63 homers and 171 RBIs on the road.

With Story at second, Kiké Hernández could settle into center field and Christian Arroyo becomes a utility bat off the bench.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora declined to comment on the reports after Sunday's spring training game against Baltimore, saying they were rumors. Even before the deal was announced, the news was welcomed inside the Red Sox clubhouse.

“It sparks the team," pitcher Nate Eovaldi told MLB.com. "We know that they (the front office) want to win but then to add another big piece to the organization like that would be huge.”

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Inside Detroit Tigers' deal with 'top target' Javier Baez

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila picked up his phone. It was Nov. 3.

Players had just officially become free agents and teams could contact player representatives. Before calling anyone else, Avila dialed the number for Nick Chanock, senior vice president of baseball at Wasserman Media Group.

Chanock is Javier Baez’s agent.

Detroit Tigers reportedly close to signing SS Javier Baez to six-year ...

UPDATE: The Free Press has confirmed the Detroit Tigers will sign shortstop Javier Baez to a 6-year deal worth $140 million.

The Detroit Tigers appear to have found their new shortstop.

But it's not the man many hoped for.

MLB Network/Fox Sports reporter and Free Press alum Jon Paul Morosi reported early Tuesday morning that the Tigers are close to signing shortstop Javier Baez to a six-year deal.

Baez, who will turn 29 on Wednesday, is a two-time All-Star and former Gold Glove winner who hit .265 with 31 home runs and 87 RBIs in 138 games between the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets last season. He did, though, lead the National League with 184 strikeouts over 502 at-bats. He stole 18 bases and walked 28 times, registering a .319 on-base percentage and a .494 slugging percentage (.813 on-base plus slugging).

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For his career, the right-handed-hitting Baez is a .264 hitter with a .783 OPS and a 23.4 WAR. His career fielding percentage is .965 at shortstop. He made $11.6 million last season.

It is not yet clear how much money the deal is worth. But two other marquee middle infielders in this free-agent class signed for major money on Monday, both with the Texas Rangers. Marcus Semien, 31, who played second base last year with the Toronto Blue Jays, got seven years and $175 million, and Corey Seager, 27, the former World Series MVP with the Los Angeles Dodgers, received a 10-year, $325 million deal.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS:Tigers must make decisions about arbitration-eligible players as deadline looms

Many fans' dream scenario was for the Tigers to sign free-agent shortstop Carlos Correa, but it is believed that his asking price would be north of $30 million a year for perhaps a long as a decade. The 27-year-old, considered the class of what was a shortstop-rich free agent class, is a two-time All-Star who hits for power and won a Gold Glove this year and has been a member of the Astros, who have been to five straight American League Championship Series and three World Series since 2017.

His relationship with Tigers manager AJ Hinch, who managed Correa to two of those World Series, including the 2017 championship, was thought to help. But as Tigers general manager Al Avila has said, the team is not looking to wildly spend.

“The resources will be there,” Avila said on Oct. 5, speaking broadly about free agency. “But I will caution you, this is not going to be spending like a drunken sailor.”

The Tigers have spent elsewhere: trading for Reds catcher Tucker Barnhardt and exercising his $7.5 million option for next season; signing starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez to a five-year, $77 million deal. If the Tigers do add Baez, they would have one more spot available on their 40-man roster, lending to the idea that they may not be done with free agency. However, time is running short with the current collective bargaining agreement scheduled to end at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday and no new pact between the owners and players' union on the horizon.

The native of Puerto Rico was drafted by the Cubs ninth overall in the 2011 draft out of Jacksonville (Fla.) Arlington Country Day. He debuted in 2014 and played in 52 games.

Baez played in only 28 games in 2015, but he burst on the scene in 2016, the year the Cubs won the World Series. Playing more second base and third base than shortstop, he hit .273 in the regular season and .253 in the postseason as the Cubs beat Cleveland in seven games in the Fall Classic.

His best individual season was 2018, his first year as an All-Star. He hit .290 with 34 home runs and an NL-leading 111 RBIs that year, finishing second in the MVP voting.

Last season, as the Cubs traded away several key members of that World Series team to begin a rebuild, Baez was sent to New York to pair up with longtime friend Francisco Lindor. But Baez could not fix the issues and injuries in the Big Apple as the Mets faded down the stretch. Though he hit .299 with an .886 OPS in 47 games (167 at-bats) after the trade.

Free Press sports writer Tyler Davis contributed to this report. Contact Kirkland Crawford: kcrawford@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @HiKirkHere.

$1 billion class: All eyes on Francisco Lindor, free agent shortstops

The baseball stars have never aligned in this fashion before, and they likely never will again.

Five shortstops, all first-round picks, every one of them an All-Star, three of them World Series champions, nestled between the prime ages of 26 and 28, each with just 162 games separating them from seemingly bottomless riches.

From youngest to oldest, Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Francisco Lindor, Javy Baez and Trevor Story represent an unprecedented class of pending free agent shortstops, a quintet that will combine for an otherworldly sum of salary commitments between now and the start of the 2022 season.

Say, $1 billion.

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As the 2021 season’s Opening Day – a traditional endpoint for negotiations for pending free agents – draws near, USA TODAY Sports examines what sets each shortstop apart – and what the crucial next few months may look like:

Carlos Correa: A big bet on himself

Drafted: First overall, 2012

Honor roll: 2015 AL Rookie of the Year, 2017 All-Star, 2017 World Series champion

The stats that matter: .353 career on-base percentage, 126 career adjusted OPS.

Outlook: As the only “1/1” of the group, Correa, 26, has shouldered significant expectations since he topped the 2012 draft, and met them all, reaching the big leagues at 20 and winning a World Series title at 23. That 2017 World Series and his finest offensive season ever – his .315 batting average, 24 homers and .941 OPS – came in the heart of the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, which will forever follow him. Injuries, too, have dogged Correa, who has played more than 110 games just once.

Yet the negatives are more than overcome by a skill set that rarely fails him when he is on the field, and an ability to rise to the moment in October. The Astros made the postseason in all but one of his seven seasons and won nine of 13 playoff series as he compiled an .869 OPS and smacked 17 home runs, tied for ninth all-time. His ability to shake off a so-so 60-game regular season and slam six home runs as the Astros fell a win shy of a surprise World Series appearance last October was a reminder of his capabilities.

What happens now: Correa reportedly turned down a six-year, $120 million offer from the Astros and termed it “really low,” saying Thursday’s Opening Day deadline for an extension is firm. “Once the season starts and I start playing, I’m playing my last season before I become a free agent,” he said March 25. “For me, it doesn’t make any sense to be dealing while I’m trying to focus and trying to perform and trying to help my team win ballgames. So, yeah, absolutely not.”

The Astros signed infield cornerstones Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve to extensions but let center fielder George Springer walk in free agency. With Bregman’s ability to shift to shortstop in 2021, it’s possible the Astros may let Correa move on, too, especially if his 2021 performance puts his future price tag into the stratosphere.

Corey Seager: House money

Drafted: 18th overall, 2012

Honor roll: 2016 NL Rookie of the Year, two-time All-Star, two Silver Sluggers, two top 10 MVP finishes, 2020 NLCS MVP, 2020 World Series MVP, 2020 World Series champion.

The stats that matter: .362 career OBP, .863 career OPS, 26 homers per 162 games.

Outlook: After All-Star appearances in his first two full seasons, Seager endured a 1-2 punch in 2018 – Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow and arthroscopic hip surgery. While he led the NL with 44 doubles in 2019, he returned in full fury in 2020, hitting 15 homers in 51 games, posting career highs in OPS (.943) and adjusted OPS (152).

It felt like Seager, 26, destroyed baseballs with regularity and the stats bear it out – he ranked second in the major leagues in “barrels” per plate appearance (12.1%) and then hit seven homers in helping vanquish Atlanta in the NLCS, Tampa Bay in the World Series and steal all the postseason hardware.

What happens now: The Dodgers, as always, have the capability to do whatever they want – witness the acquisition and $365 million extension of Mookie Betts a year ago. Yet the franchise also has a gaggle of superstars headed toward free agency – Seager and Clayton Kershaw this year, Cody Bellinger in 2023, Walker Buehler in 2024, with Trevor Bauer holding opt-outs each of the next two years.

Seager’s trendline is edging closer to $300 million; even with the Dodgers’ bottomless revenues, a stealth strike before Opening Day that both sides could stomach seems unlikely. Paying full cost after this season will force the Dodgers to ponder how many nine-figure contracts they’re willing to carry throughout this decade.

Francisco Lindor: Almost home?

Drafted: Eighth overall, 2011

Honor roll: Four-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner, Platinum Glove winner, three top 10 MVP finishes

The stats that matter: 138 home runs (most among shortstops since 2015), 11.1 UZR/150 rating (second to Andrelton Simmons since 2015), .833 career OPS.

Outlook: The only member of this group to get traded, Lindor, 27, only has to put up an MVP-caliber year for a Mets team loaded with great expectations in the first year under a deep-pocketed owner. All while adjusting to New York and a new club.

Then again, there isn’t much this guy can’t slug, field and charm his way through.

Lindor is by far the most durable shortstop of this or any group, never playing less than 143 games and leading the AL in plate appearances three times. He shoulders on- and off-field responsibilities with elan, as good an ambassador as he is a slugging, Gold Glove-caliber shortstop.

Outlook: Stay tuned. While Lindor seemed adamant to test free agency after rejecting myriad low-ball overtures from Cleveland, new owner Steve Cohen is a motivated party after the club traded for him, then struck out on multiple high-profile free agents. Guaranteeing Lindor more than $300 million before he hits the market wouldn’t merely be a splash, but a relatively low-risk proposition for a franchise that needs an everyday cornerstone.

Two years ago, the Mets and ace Jacob deGrom agreed to a five-year, $137.5 million extension just two days before Opening Day, despite pessimism a deal would get done. Sunday, Cohen confirmed he enjoyed a dinner meeting with Lindor, who already will be the game’s highest-paid shortstop in 2021, at $22.3 million per year. In that sense, any extension would temporarily set the bar for his comrades in this free agent class.

None of this is lost on Lindor. So if Cohen wants to pick up this check, the tab – before tip – best exceed the $300 million Manny Machado received from the San Diego Padres in 2019.

Javier Baez: Last Cub standing?

Drafted: Ninth overall, 2011.

Honor roll: Two-time All-Star, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, 2016 NLCS MVP, 2016 World Series champion, 2018 NL MVP runner-up.

The stats that matter: 26 homers per 162 games, 43 Defensive Runs Saved as a shortstop.

Outlook: Baez faces one minor hurdle the others don’t: A below-par 2020 season in which he slashed .203/.238/.360 and admitted the fan-less, grim pandemic campaign brought down his energy level.

Baez’s offensive output isn’t as consistent or potent as his peers, either – he grades out at just above a league average hitter (102 adjusted OPS) and his .304 career OBP, with a career best of .326, does not equate to superstar production.

Still, that belies the fact few, if any, can pull off what Baez does on a baseball field, be it his occasionally prodigious power (34 home runs in 2018), his unparalleled tagging ability around the second base bag and an overall charisma only his old pal Lindor can match.

What happens now: Much of that is up to owner Tom Ricketts, who famously claimed “biblical” losses during the 2020 season, but also has a new TV network to push, and it’d be helpful to have some recognizable faces on the screen. Baez, Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant all face free agency after this season, with Willson Contreras to follow after 2022. Rizzo on Monday said contract negotiations with the club had stalled and he was prepared to play out the season.

Baez is the youngest of that group and also retains some upside. Both parties might benefit from an agreement before the season – Baez wouldn’t have to shop his numbers on the market against his cohorts, and Ricketts wouldn’t have to worry about trotting out the Iowa Cubs in 2022.

Trevor Story: Closing time at Coors

Drafted: 45th overall, 2011

Honor roll: Two-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger, one top-10 MVP finish

The stats that matter: .874 career OPS, 37- and 35-homer seasons, 60 Defensive Runs Saved.

Outlook: Story’s future took a turn for the weird when his running mate and franchise cornerstone Nolan Arenado was traded by the Colorado Rockies to St. Louis. Suddenly, Story himself getting shipped out seemed far more likely than him re-upping with a franchise adrift.

Those wondering if Story’s game will play outside of Denver might not realize prodigious home run totals are only a portion of his appeal.

Story is a fantastic defender, hits the stuffing out of the ball – his 89.9 mph exit velocity last year mirrors Lindor’s – and is a freakish athlete. He has added stolen bases to his game, stealing 27 and 23 in 2018 and ’19 and leading the NL with 15 in 59 games last year. Meanwhile, his strikeout percentage has diminished every year since whiffing 34.4% of the time in his first full season; it was 24.3% last season.

Story turns 29 in November and is the oldest of the pending free agent shortstops, which ostensibly could diminish his value. Yet almost every key metric is trending positively.

What happens now: Story has adopted a diplomatic stance, though the chances the Rockies determine building around Story, tendering him an aggressive offer and him accepting – particularly after the Arenado debacle – seem remote at best.

Story will have plenty of positives to take to free agency next winter. And there’s also a decent chance some of his competition takes themselves off the market by then.

New York Yankees' options if they don't sign Aaron Judge to new ...

SAN DIEGO — You’d think the New York Yankees have some clear advantages toward their stated goal of signing Aaron Judge.

The history bit. The lights of Broadway. The Yankee brand.

Oh, and the ability to outspend anyone in the game, if they choose.

But as good as GM Brian Cashman is at this card game, Judge has proven himself a shark – leaving the Yankees’ executive team guessing whether he’d really bolt for San Francisco, if all things are even.

And here was an interesting take from Cashman here at the winter meetings:

“Listen, if Aaron Judge signs somewhere else, do we pivot and do something else? Do we remake ourselves completely? I’ve got no idea.’’

Cashman quickly followed that comment with this: “That’s not what we want to do.’’

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Hard feelings?

Reading the tealeaves on Judge's decision wherever possible, Time Magazine - in naming Judge its Athlete of the Year - revealed the slugger's annoyance about the Yankees' late March decision to make public the $213.5 million, seven-year extension he rejected.

"I was a little upset that the numbers came out,'' Judge told Time in its cover story. "I understand, that's a negotiating tactic. Put pressure on me. Turn the fans against me. Turn the media on me.

"That part of it I didn't like.''

Asked about that decision recently, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner echoed the organization's talking point that the figures would have been reported anyway, so why not be transparent about their effort? (Though the Yanks have rarely, if ever, operated this way in the Hal Steinbrenner era).

"It's something I approved when Cash brought (the idea) to me,'' Steinbrenner said last month of revealing their bid. "Aaron and I have not discussed that, but it's something I definitely approved - I approve everything that comes down the pike.''

Steinbrenner added that he would explain to Judge, if the subject came up, that it was "my call, be mad at me. But here are the reasons why.''

In the same Time article, Judge was reminded by his wife Sam, of something he told her when they were Linden, Calif. high school sweethearts 12 years ago - that he'd be "married to Sam and playing for the San Francisco Giants.''

"I was like, 'That'd better not get out,' '' Judge told Time.

Trying to avoid Plan B

Any of the Plan B scenarios aren’t as appealing as putting Judge back at Yankee Stadium.

Yet, the Yankees are forced to confront three scenarios as they negotiate with the signature slugger on the free agent market.

How do we improve around Judge? How do we pivot if Judge leaves? How do we proceed if Judge delays his decision?

On the No. 3 scenario, Judge has already stated his preference to sign sooner than later, allowing his team to build a contender around him.

But what if Team Judge must sort through late offers from Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego, or some other “mystery’’ team?

There’s a reason the Yankees couldn’t act boldly on Justin Verlander, long an intriguing pinstriped target, who agreed to join the Mets on Monday.

“Clearly, with the amount of commitment it would take to retain an Aaron Judge type, it’s put us a little bit on hold, obviously,’’ Cashman said, speaking generally about doing business while Judge is in limbo.

“The way this winter is going,’’ Cashman said, “it could take us a lot of different roads we didn’t expect.’’

That could mean playing on the remaining elite shortstops market (Xander Bogaerts, Dansby Swanson, Carlos Correa) despite the high-end youngsters on the horizon.

And if Carlos Rodon is still on the board, the Yanks could take an expensive flyer on a lefty starter reportedly seeking a six-year deal.

Exploring all options, including Brandon Nimmo

Among the free-agent outfielders, Brandon Nimmo might expect a full-court press from the runner-up in the Judge sweepstakes.

The Yanks also need to fill left field with a lefty hitter, and Andrew Benintendi is “a player we’d love to have back,’’ said Cashman, though Benintendi has a healthy list of suitors, including the Houston Astros.

Japan’s Masataka Yoshida would be among the “players we would have to consider’’ once he joins the free-agent market, Cashman said.

Bryan Reynolds has long interested the Yanks, and his reported trade request from Pittsburgh has put the switch-hitting outfielder back into focus.

At this point, the Yanks don’t feel they’ve missed out on opportunities. On Tuesday, they agreed to a two-year deal to bring back free-agent reliever Tommy Kahnle.

“I understand the longer things go, the more at-risk you are,’’ Cashman said Monday night of waiting on Judge.

“I just don’t want to play the game of ‘take this, I need to know now,’ and risk what comes from that.’’

Aaron Boone checked in with Judge by phone late last week, nudging him with a playful ‘let’s go.’ (Judge merely chuckled in response).

The manager has “spoken to a couple’’ of other Yankees free agent targets but had no plans to meet with any in person.

Rodon was not one of the free agents on Boone’s recent call list. Boone said he texted with Benintendi around Thanksgiving. “A lot revolves around Aaron and that resolution,’’ Boone said of the Yanks’ winter plan.

Scott Boras talks Carlos Correa saga, billion dollar MLB winter

The American Airlines flight landed at 9:41 Wednesday night and Scott Boras walked off the plane at the Santa Ana (Calif.) Airport, still weary after spending the day in Minneapolis, with the Carlos Correa saga coming to a merciful conclusion at Target Field.

Boras walked towards the baggage claim, saw the silver Rimowa suitcase come down the conveyer belt, grabbed it, walked to his car and had just pulled up to his home when his cell phone rang.

“Mr. Boras, this is American Airlines,’’ the person said. “We have your bag here.’’

Boras: “No, I have my bag right here.’’

Boras, bewildered, reached for his suitcase.

Uh oh.

He had the wrong luggage, picking up someone else’s that looked just like his.

Boras went back to the airport, exchanged suitcases, drove back home, got into his bed, and crashed.

When you negotiate $865 million worth of contracts alone for Correa alone over a 28-day span, enduring two failed physicals and a canceled press conference before winding up with a six-year, $200 million guarantee from the Minnesota Twins, who can blame a fella for a little mix-up?

Boras again was back at work at 5:30 the next morning, checking e-mails, making calls, and spending 2½ hours on the phone with USA TODAY Sports, talking about one of the wildest winters of his career, resulting in $1.1 billion worth of free-agent contracts.

“It’s been quite the ride,’’ Boras says, “to say the least.’’

While certainly pleased with the winter results, Boras still fumes how one physician’s opinion can turn Correa’s 13-year, $350 million deal with the San Francisco Giants to a 12-year, $315 million deal with the New York Mets to a six-year, $200 million contract with the Twins.

The Giants’ deal collapsed only after consulting with orthopedic specialist Dr. Robert Anderson, who expressed concerns about the fragility of Correa’s right ankle that required surgery in 2014. Farhan Zaidi, Giants president of baseball operations, said the deal was off. Boras summoned Correa to his hotel room to break the news, leaving Correa in disbelief.

Boras retreated to his room and within an hour was on the phone with Mets owner Steve Cohen. Just 15 hours later, they had a deal. Correa and his family, who had even spent a day house-hunting in San Francisco before the scheduled press conference, tackled Boras in excitement in his room. The Correa family flew home to Houston, and then were off to New York on Cohen’s private plane for a physical to make it official.

Correa took his physical, and two days later, the Mets balked too. Yes, they had also consulted with Anderson, who advised against a long-term contract, leaving Boras absolutely seething.

“I don’t understand the Mets,’’ Boras said. “I gave them all of the information. We had them talk to four doctors. They knew the issue the Giants had. And yet, they still call the same doctor the Giants used for his opinion. There was no new information. So why negotiate a contract if you were going to rely on the same doctor?

“It was different with the Giants because a doctor had an opinion they didn’t know about. But the Mets had notice of this. They knew the opinion of the Giants. So why did you negotiate when you know this thing in advance?"

The Giants never engaged in negotiations again with Boras but the Mets still wanted to work out a revised deal, with Boras and Correa remaining confident they could still reach a resolution.

Boras offered contract language that would protect the Mets. If Correa’s previous right ankle injury caused him to miss more than 60 days, the Mets could reduce the contract. If he spent more than 120 days on the injured list over a two-year period, they could void the contract. If he finished a season on the injured list, the Mets would have the right to give him a physical to determine if they wanted to part ways.

The Mets instead wanted to slash their original agreement in half. The Mets would guarantee $157.5 million for the first six years, with club options for the next six years that would pay him another $157.5 million. But it would also require Correa to undergo a complete physical after every season in which the Mets could terminate the remaining six years of the contract.

“I said [to Mets lawyers], 'You’re now putting the contract at risk,' Boras said. “I’ve got to cover your risk by your deferral. You can’t have everything. You can’t defer the contract, save $100 million on the CBT taxes, and have him take all of the risk at the back of the contract that’s not guaranteed.’’

The stalemate went on for two weeks when Boras and Correa realized the Mets weren’t going to budge. Even if the Mets picked up the first two club option years at $26.5 million a year, the backloaded contract would pay him $210 million over the first eight years –keeping the annual average salary at $26.5 million.

Derek Falvey, Twins executive vice president and chief baseball officer, kept checking in with Boras throughout the process. He realized the longer there was an impasse, the better chance the Twins could re-engage in negotiations.

The Twins’ final offer to Correa before he initially agreed with the Giants was a 10-year, $280 million contract (not the widely reported $285 million). They began negotiating again the weekend of Jan. 6-8, and this time had leverage.

They began intensive talks on Monday morning, Jan. 9, and agreed to a six-year, $200 million contract at 8 p.m. The contract, with four club options, could turn into a 10-year, $270 million deal if the Twins pick up the option years, or become automatically vested if Correa basically stays healthy finishes in the top five of the MVP race, wins a Silver Slugger or wins the World Series or ALCS MVP award. The six-year guarantee pays Correa an average salary of $33.34 million, the second-largest by a shortstop.

Correa is earning $42.5 million more in the first six years of the Twins’ contract than he would have if he had taken the Mets’ offer. If the contract extended to eight years, the Twins were still paying $35 million more than the Mets. The Mets’ salary advantage wouldn’t have started until 2031 when Correa will be paid $15 million and $10 million in 2032 by the Twins. The Mets were paying $115 million the final four years in the club options.

“I think this is a better deal for him because of the structure of the contract,’’ Boras said. “The likelihood of playing 12 years [without injury] was unforeseen. It wasn’t a favorable deal unless he had solid guarantee language. This contract is better because of the probability. There’s far more present-value.’’

And, oh, by the way, there are no opt-outs in the entirety of the contract.

“Look,’’ Boras said, laughing, “we never want to go through anything like this again.’’

Boras was confident Correa would have no problems with the Twins’ physical considering he already had three exams last year by their doctors. They wouldn’t have sent a private plane to pick up Correa’s extended from Houston, putting everyone up at the Four Seasons hotel in downtown Minneapolis, and taking everyone out to a five-hour dinner on Tuesday night at the 112 Eatery.

Still, it wasn’t until Wednesday morning when the Twins called Boras, telling him the deal was official, that he could finally exhale.

“It was like a 100-pound weight was lifted off my shoulders,’’ Boras said. “I called up Carlos, and I didn’t even say hello. All I said was, 'It’s done.’"

Correa’s reaction: “Fantastic.’’

“When Carlos put that uniform on at the press conference,’’ Boras said, “there was finally, finality. It was for real.’’

The saga was over.

“This was so hard emotionally because you’re sitting in front of a player, his wife, his parents, her parents,’’ Boras said, “and you have to share disappointment, not once, but twice. It was really, really stressful for Carlos and his family.

“But in the end, seeing how happy he was and how excited the Twins are, maybe this was the way it was meant to be all along.’’

While the Correa theater dominated the headlines, Boras had 13 free-agent players who signed major-league deals totaling $1.1 billion. It’s the third time Boras and his staff –including 30 researchers, eight trainers, six negotiators, five lawyers and two medical review members – eclipsed $1 billion worth of deals in a single off-season.

Boras on his other clients:

– Shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who had an opt-out in his Red Sox contract, turned three years and $60 million into 11 years and $280 million with the San Diego Padres.

“It was just really clear to us there was a separation where Boston was going to go for Bogaerts,’’ Boras said, “compared to where the market was. They probably made a decision they were going to sign [Rafael] Devers, and were going to pay only one of them. So we knew at the forefront that Bogey would be somewhere besides Boston. Minnesota, the Cubs, the Blue Jays, they were really after him. But we kind of knew the Padres’ guy was Bogaerts (after Trea Turner rejected their offer). They wanted that personality, that leadership in that locker room.’’

– Starter Carlos Rodon turned his opt-out – paying him $25 million if he remained with the San Francisco Giants – into a six-year, $162 million deal with the New York Yankees.

“Whatever concerns the Giants or anyone else had of him a year ago,’’ Boras said, “he pitched so well he had 11 teams after him. Yankee Stadium was really a place he enjoyed pitching. He really wanted to go there.’’

– Outfielder Brandon Nimmo returned to the Mets on an eight-year, $162 million contract.

“The Giants had strong interest in Nimmo,’’ Boras said, “and so did Tampa Bay. There were five or six teams who were after him. But I knew he was so central to what the Mets wanted him to do.’’

– Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida signed a five-year, $90 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.

“He was a guy that Boston really wanted,’’ Boras said. “There’s not a lot of swing and miss there, great vision, he’ll adapt really well to Major League Baseball. I think he’ll be a great asset to them, no question.’’

– Outfielder Michael Conforto signed for $36 million with the Giants, including an opt-out after the 2023 season – almost immediately after the Correa talks collapsed in San Francisco. So Conforto passes his physical after missing the entire season recovering from shoulder surgery but they reject Correa because of an eight-year-old injury?

“I’m not going to let prior transactions or emotions interfere with what’s in the best interest of that player,’’ Boras said. “He could have signed with Houston [late] last year. They really wanted him. But we wanted to get him fully rehabbed, so we focused on that. He got to show teams where he was at.’’

More Boras guys:

Starter Taijuan Walker, four years, $72 million, Philadelphia Phillies.

First baseman Josh Bell, two years, $33 million, Cleveland Guardians.

Starter Sean Manaea, two years, $25 million, San Francisco Giants.

Center fielder Cody Bellinger, one year, $17.5 million, Chicago Cubs.

Outfielder Joey Gallo, one year, $11 million, Minnesota Twins.

Pitcher Matt Boyd, one year, $10 million, Detroit Tigers.

Pitcher Shintaro Fujinami, one year, $3.25 million, Oakland Athletics.

The Dream Series

They are still kids themselves, trying to establish their own identity in baseball, hoping to have long, illustrious careers.

Hunter Greene, 23, the second pick in the 2017 draft, made the Cincinnati Reds’ opening-day roster, spent the entire season in the big leagues and is regarded as one of baseball’s most talented young pitchers.

Justin Dunn, 27, the 19th pick in the 2016 draft, has spent part of the past three years in the big leagues with Seattle and Cincinnati.

Yet, there they were this past weekend, giving back to the game and trying to make a difference in young lives, volunteering their services at the MLB Dream Series.

Major League Baseball, addressing the scarcity of Black players in their game – just 6.8% on the 2022 opening-day rosters – began the Dream Series six years ago in Tempe, Ariz.

The idea was to particularly focus on the lack of Black pitchers and catchers. There were fewer than 15 Black pitchers (seven starters) last season, and there hasn’t been a single everyday African-American catcher since Charles Johnson, who retired in 2005.

Greene, who attended the first Dream Series, and Dunn became the first active major-league players to attend the event. They not only just showed up to help the high-school prospects, but instructed the young players and Greene even opened his house to them.

He invited all 80 of the high school players from the Dream Series to his home, telling them not to put any limits on their goals or desires, that anything in the game of baseball is possible.

“Since it’s called the Dream Series, I want them to dream,’’ Greene said. “Without sounding vain, I wanted to bring all of the kids to the house to show them what to strive for, how your life can be changed, and what you can provide not just for yourself, but to your family. I want them and see the home and say, 'Wow, he’s only five years older than me. I’m not that far off.’

“To see a player that looks like me, to see where I am now, they need to see it in person, they need to feel it, they need to know it’s attainable to them. It’s important for them to see that, and know it’s real.’’

So, there they were Friday night, sitting around, listening to stories, asking questions, and believing that one day, well, they can make it, too.

“I love it, I just love it,’’ said Dunn. “It’s something my dad and I always dreamed of, playing on a team with everybody that looks like you. There’s just so few and far between.’’

Dunn, a native of Freeport, N.Y., never played on a single baseball team growing up that included another Black player.

“It was like that every level of travel ball, really, all of the way from when I was 9 years old to college,’’ Dunn said. “It wasn’t until I got to the Seattle Mariners where I had Black teammates.’’

Dunn wants to be an inspiration for other young Black players, letting them know that baseball can pave a way to a possible college scholarship, or perhaps even a future in professional baseball. He remembers being stunned one day when a direct message was sent to his Twitter account. It was from Chris Archer, who was young pitching star with Tampa Bay, reaching out to let him know that he would be available for anything he needed.

“I couldn’t believe it, I was telling guys, no way did Chris Archer DM me,’’ Dunn said. “But it was from him. It was a verified account. I remember he said, “'Listen, bro, there are very few of us in the league. But if you ever need anything, just text me, I’ll be a voice for you, and a shoulder you can lean on.'"

Dunn has never forgotten, and now plans to be that same mentor for others.

“It’s very important to me, man,’’ Dunn said. “It’s something I want to give back to young kids, let them I was once in their shoes. If you can see it, believe it, you can do it. If I can do it, you can do it.’’

Greene, who never even received more than a 75% college scholarship being the No. 1 prospect in the country, remembers his Dad driving 1 ½ hours each way for him to pitch at the Urban Youth Academy in Compton. He played in the RBI [Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities] program. It allowed him the opportunity to play baseball with other Black and minority players.

Now, with a platform to help others, Greene wrote a two-page handwritten letter that he plans to copy and leave with every player in the Dream Series camp, hoping to be an inspiration.

“I just wanted them to take away from this Dream Series what it’s really going to take for them to continue to be where they want to be,’’ Greene said. “The whole theme is the importance to believe in yourself, to trust in yourself, to dream obviously around Martin Luther King and his vision, and how his vision came to life.’’

Around the basepaths

_The timing was awfully strange for Boston Red Sox infielder Trevor Story to undergo elbow surgery last week. One Red Sox player told USA TODAY Sports this summer that Story anticipated he would need surgery in the off-season, but perhaps even with his diminished arm strength last season, Story felt like his elbow would be fine with rest.

Now, he’ll be out at least the first half of the season after struggling most of last season. Story produced a slash line of .293/.386./.776 with nine homers and 27 RBI in 68 plate appearances from May 10-26.

The rest of the season: 227/.290/.368 with seven homers and 39 RBI in 328 plate appearances

The Red Sox, to compensate for the loss of Story, has expressed interest in free-agent shortstop Elvis Andrus and free agent infielder/outfielder Jurickson Profar.

– While rumors persist that the Astros will simply have owner Jim Crane and Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell handle the top duties with the four current assistant GMs handling the day-to-day operations, Crane still plans to hire a full-time GM before the start of spring training.

David Stearns, who is under contract through the year with the Milwaukee Brewers, still remains the Astros’ ultimate prize once the season ends.

– The worst-kept secret in baseball is that the Los Angeles Dodgers are trying to stay below the luxury tax to jump in with all of their might to sign Shohei Ohtani as a free agent after the season.

Their stiffest competition?

The San Diego Padres, who also plan to be all in.

– Mets owner Steve Cohen saved about $47 million a year with salary and luxury tax repercussions when Carlos Correa chose to sign with the Twins instead of the Mets.

Still, the Mets spent $451 million in free agency this winter, bringing back outfielder Brandon Nimmo and closer Edwin Diaz, and signing pitchers Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana.

– Michael Wacha, who went 11-2 with a 3.32 ERA in 23 starts last season, is easily the best pitcher still available on the free-agent market. He’s seeking a deal that would pay him about $15 million a season.

– Hall of Famer David Ortiz on beloved Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker:

“That organization went through some crazy [stuff], and he continued to build up the confidence of the players, and look what happened. He was like, '[Bleep] it, let’s do it.' He gave everything he had to that organization. He deserves all of the credit in the world.

“Dusty, man, he’s just another on another level. You ask players how they feel about him, and they’ll tell you he’s like their uncle, their dad, their grandfather. He’s family.’’

– The Nashville Stars continue to put themselves in prime position for an expansion franchise with the hiring of beloved former MVP Don Mattingly, joining Dave Stewart’s ownership group.

Nashville is striving to become the first majority-owned black team in Major League Baseball history.

– The Mets could be without their entire starting infield for most of spring training with first baseman Pete Alonso, second baseman Jeff McNeil, shortstop Francisco Lindor and third baseman Eduardo Escobar expected to play in the WBC.

– Twins GM Thad Levine on the signing of Correa to MLB Radio: “Through the middle of this saga there were a lot of twists and turns, and I think there was a lot of emotional turmoil and turbulence, and then the end was glorious. I think we liked the end part of the story the best, if I had to dissect it.’’

– Future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera on the news that the Tigers are bringing in the fences by 10 feet in center field at Comerica Park and lowering the wall by 7 feet: “I have been waiting for this for 15 years.’’

– Matt Holliday’s decision to back out as the Cardinals’ bench coach was strictly a family decision, with three kids still in high school or younger, including Ethan, who’s considered perhaps the top prep player in the country.

– Pretty cool to see Andrew McCutchen return back to the Pirates where he became a five-time All-Star star and MVP winner, signing a one-year, $5 million contract.

The Pirates never gave out his jersey, No. 22, after he was traded in January, 2018.

And, in all probability no one will ever wear No. 22 again for the Pirates once McCutchen retires.

– Giants clubhouse manager Mike Murphy announced his retirement after 65 years in the organization. Murphy, who will be 81 on Monday, was Willie Mays’ closest friend in the organization.

– UMPS CARE Charities has organized programs for college and high school kids to teach and develop umpiring skills in Phoenix, Chicago, Cincinnati, Compton (Calif.), Dallas, Houston and Philadelphia. One of the Phoenix sponsors is the Pedro Gomez Foundation, which also provides scholarships to journalism students at ASU, University of Arizona and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

Follow Nightengale on Twitter: @Bnightengale

MLB: GM meetings end without hint of CBA resolution

CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Baseball’s general managers and executives headed out to catch their flights Thursday as union executive director Tony Clark, chief negotiator Bruce Meyer poured into the same seaside resort they were vacating.

Everyone is scheduled to meet in three weeks in Orlando for the annual Baseball Winter Meetings, but with the collective bargaining agreement expiring Dec. 1, and negotiations at a trickle pace, there are agents and teams not even bothering to book rooms at the Disney-area resort.

Still, while most teams don’t know their budgets, and agents having little idea what teams are willing to pay with decreases in revenue, everyone came away believing it was business as usual.

“I’m not part of the negotiating team, so I mean, business as usual for us,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.

But he did say they are planning to talk to the agents for all five premier free-agent shortstops – Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Trevor Story and Javy Baez.

“I’m here just to kind of assess all available players in the marketplace,’’ Cashman said, “and then just get as much information as I can for free agents and potential trade people. So obviously what occurred in the past, which is obviously part of that background, it’s certainly not part of that initial process for me.

“The bottom line is, is he a great player? The answer to that is yes. Puts up numbers with the best of them. He’s obviously had an incredible career thus far. He’s a free agent. So my job is to assess him as well as the others that are available and then act accordingly.’’

The personality vetting of Correa will come later.

For now, all that Cashman and every other GM with interest knows is that Correa’s price tag will start with a 3, possibly surpassing Francisco Lindor’s 10-year, $341 million contract with the New York Mets.

Los Angeles Angels GM Perry Minasian spent hours at the meetings talking about the need to surround Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout with an abundance of pitching – at least two starters – to prevent them from wasting their prime years.

“We'd like to significantly improve our rotation,’’ said Minasian, who no longer has Albert Pujols’ $30 million salary on the books. "That's an area where we'll definitely look at a certain type of quality. We’d definitely like to find an arm or two that can impact the rotation.”

The Oakland A’s and Cincinnati Reds let anyone and everyone know that everyone and anyone is available on their roster with ownership ordering them to slash payroll. The Reds are shopping pitchers Sonny Gray and Luis Castillo, along with infielders Mike Moustakas and Eugenio Suarez. The A’s are making All-Star infielders Matt Olson and Matt Chapman available, with Olson drawing plenty of interest from the Yankees.

“We have to have any and every conversation,’’ said A’s GM David Forst.”It’s hard to predict four months from now what the roster looks like, but right now we have to be open-minded.’’

Said Reds GM Nick Krall: “As a small-market club, if we don’t build through scouting and player development, we’re not going to have success.’’

Those reversing direction are the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers, who have shed payroll and endured a painful rebuild, but are now letting agents know they plan to spend, and spend big.

“We are committed to having a payroll consistent with our market size,’’ Rangers GM Chris Young said. “We intend to push the payroll up.”

The Tigers need a shortstop, and although Correa appears to be out of their price range, they are strongly looking at Seager and Story. The Tigers’ steepest competition may not necessarily be the Yankees, but the Rangers, who could have as much as $100 million to spend.

The only free-agent signing at the meetings was the failed Yankee starter Andrew Heaney signing a one-year, $8.5 million contract with the Dodgers. It left executives wondering why he was so eager to sign before fully testing the market.

The most discussed future Hall of Famer pitcher was Justin Verlander, and not Max Scherzer or Clayton Kershaw.

Verlander, who received an $18.4 million qualifying offer from the Houston Astros, would normally seem like a lock to take the Astros up on their offer considering he has pitched only six innings since 2019, undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery.

Yet, he also knows it could be a bit uncomfortable returning to Houston. The Astros players revolted when Verlander was scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch during the postseason, telling owner Jim Crane they preferred someone else considering Verlander had not been around all season.

Astros GM James Click, however, backed Verlander, saying it was COVID-19 protocols that prevented Verlander from being around the players.

If Verlander winds up pitching elsewhere, the Yankees are the favored destination.

The Dodgers did not offer Kershaw a qualifying offer after missing the playoffs with a strained flexor tendon, and engaged in trade talks with the Reds about Castillo and Gray. But if Kershaw wants to return, no problem, a spot will be left for him.

“I’m confident,’’ Dodgers president Andrew Friedman said, “we’ll be able to figure something out.”

Kershaw could opt to pitch for his hometown Rangers, but the reality is that if Kershaw pitches a 15th season, it would be only with the Dodgers.

“It’s not just what he’s meant looking back,’’ Friedman said, “it’s also what we think he will do for our championship odds in ’22.’’

Scherzer, who was expected to re-sign with Dodgers, appears now he may be looking elsewhere. He’s not closing the door on a possible return, but his two-month stay hardly left him enamored enough to stay if someone else was offering more money.

And, oh, wouldn’t the San Francisco Giants love to steal away the Dodgers’ valuable asset?

Free agent Freddie Freeman was on the mind of every team seeking a first baseman, with Freeman rejecting Atlanta’s five-year, $135 million offer, and seeking closer to a six-year, $200 million deal. Yet, you couldn’t find a soul who believes Freeman won’t be returning to Atlanta.

And no job was discussed more frequently from the putting green to the bar to the pop-a-shots in the GM lounge than the Mets’ GM vacancy.

They laughed trying to count up the number of candidates who have rejected the Mets’ overtures, and couldn’t contain themselves giggling that their leading candidate could be former Washington Nationals assistant GM Adam Cromie, who has been out of baseball for four years working in a law firm.

“If you’re looking to be comfortable,’’ Mets president Sandy Alderson said, “the Mets are probably not the place to come. If you’re looking to be challenged and rewarded –because I don’t think there’s any doubt that this team is going to be successful over the next X number of years – then go for it.”

Or, as in the case of the dozens who have rejected the overtures, just pass.

General managers also listened to discussions of potential rule changes, from everything from pitch clocks to automated strike zones to enlarged bases.

But while Commissioner Rob Manfred can implement the changes without approval from the union, he must give at least a one-year warning, which has yet to happen.

Really, it’s the least of anyone’s worries as baseball’s 26-year streak without a work stoppage looms. It would temporarily freeze all trades and free-agent signings. Everyone still seems optimistic the season will open on time, just with a revised economic system.

There are only 17 teams who are even trying win next season under the current labor structure, agent Scott Boras says, with 4½ months remaining before opening day.

“Obviously, we’ve got problems,” Boras said. “We’ve got a real cancer in this game. We know now, clubs will sacrifice seasons.”

There may always be franchises that continue to tank and avoid the free-agent market, but no matter how the new collective bargaining agreements looks like, and whether the winter meetings are cancelled, everyone agrees that the industry can’t afford the delay of even a day of spring training.

“Everyone knows what’s stake, says Minasian, “that’s why we’re confident things will get done. We’ll be Ok.’’

Follow Nightengale on Twitter: @Bnightengale

Indians' Francisco Lindor likely to be traded this offseason

The Cleveland Indians, severely strapped for money, are informing teams that they intend to trade All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor by opening day, according to two rival executives.

The executives spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of trade talks.

Cleveland shopped Lindor last winter, and were in serious negotiations with the Los Angeles Dodgers in a deal that involved shortstop Corey Seager, but decided to hang onto him when the Dodgers declined to increase their offer.

Now, Cleveland may have no choice with Lindor expected to earn about $20 million in salary arbitration for the 2021 season, and will be eligible for free agency after the season.

The New York Mets would likely be a strong suitor for Lindor with billionaire Steve Cohen becoming the Mets’ new owner. Lindor not only is one of the top shortstops in the game, but one of baseball's most charismatic players and would be a star attraction in New York.

The Los Angeles Angels, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees also would likely get involved in trade talks.

Teams, of course, could also wait until the winter of 2021 when an amazing class of shortstops will hit the free agent market. Besides Lindor, Seager, Carlos Correa of the Houston Astros, Javier Baez of the Chicago Cubs and the Colorado Rockies' Trevor Story are all eligible for free agency.

Certainly the team would prefer to keep Lindor but ownership is demanding the payroll be cut. They already declined the $10 million option on three-time All-Star closer Brad Hand after the season.

Lindor, who would have earned $17.5 million if there had been a 162-game season last year, rejected a $100 million contract extension after the 2017 season. He since has not had formal contract negotiations.

When he was asked after the season whether Cleveland could possibly afford him, Lindor said, “Of course, it’s a billion-dollar team.’’

Yet, Cleveland traditionally has one of the sport’s lowest payrolls, shrinking from $134 million in 2018 to $120 million in 2019 and $96 million if there had been a full season last year.

Cleveland insists it has no choice but to trade Lindor before he’s scheduled to receive his first check on opening day.

The only question is where.

Detroit Tigers owner Christopher Ilitch reportedly one of 4 to oppose ...

LAKELAND, Fla. — Detroit Tigers owner Christopher Ilitch doesn't want baseball owners to have the freedom to spend more money on players, and he opposed Major League Baseball's final offer sent Tuesday to the Major League Baseball Players Association.

The players' union rejected that offer, leading to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred's cancellation of regular season games. The MLB's lockout continues without an end in sight.

Ilitch was one of four owners against the offer, along with Bob Castellini (Cincinnati Reds), Ken Kendrick (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Arte Moreno (Los Angeles Angels), according to The Athletic's Evan Drellich.

The MLBPA seeks a luxury tax threshold of $238 million in 2022, $244 million in 2023, $250 million in 2024, $256 million in 2025 and $263 million in 2026. MLB's offer: $220 million, $220 million, $220 million, $224 million and $230 million.

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Baseball doesn't have a salary cap, but if a team spends over the Competitive Balance Tax threshold, the team is taxed on those expenses. The players believe the threshold acts as a de facto salary cap.

"The CBT, raising it is good for competition," Tigers catcher Tucker Barnhart told the Free Press this week. "There's a real advantage to our game when teams can spend more money and have the ability to spend more money without as harsh of repercussions.

"I don't think we're setting out as a union to try and make everybody pay every dollar they have. Rebuilding is going to happen, that's obvious. Saving money is going to happen, that's obvious. Tanking, in my opinion, is going to happen. It's inevitable, in my opinion. We're not trying to go out and have 30 teams spend all the money that they can. What we're after is — if there are 15 teams actively spending money and trying to win, as a union, what we're trying to do is take that 15 number and make it 20. I think that helps competition."

But Ilitch wasn't even interested in a $220 million luxury tax threshold. His late father, Mike Ilitch, was a big spender in his later years of controlling the Tigers and spoke publicly about his willingness to spend beyond the threshold.

"I'm supposed to be a good boy and not go over it," Mike Ilitch said in 2015, "but if I think there are certain players that could help us a lot, I'll go over it. Oops, I shouldn't have said that."

The younger Ilitch has taken a different stance following his father's passing in February 2017.

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In 2021, the CBT threshold was $210 million. Two teams — Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres — went over and received tax penalties. The Tigers were at $103 million last season, ranking 23rd among the 30 teams, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts.

Before the MLB lockout, the Tigers refused to sign one player for more than $300 million. Free-agent shortstop Carlos Correa, seeking a contract of at least 10 years and $300 million total, was passed on in favor of shortstop Javier Baez, who signed with the Tigers for a six-year, $140 million deal.

"Our goal is not to be good one time but to be good over the course of time," Christopher Ilitch said in November, before signing Baez. "We really are shooting for sustainable success and competitive baseball over time. We're going to be mindful of that as we look at contracts going forward."

Forbes valued the franchise at $1.26 billion one year ago.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.