HOUSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa is back with the Houston Astros, reuniting one of the franchise’s most iconic players with the city where he became a star.
While Astros fans are more than familiar with Correa, the man behind the blockbuster trade hasn’t met him yet.
“I’ve only known him as an opponent… and I’m just dying to meet this guy,†general manager Dana Brown said Thursday. “I’ve heard so many great things about him and I’ve seen his actions on the field. He brings it every day.â€
Correa was dealt to the to the Astros from the dismantled Minnesota Twins ahead of , injecting a much-needed boost into their infield.
“This is a big move for the team, for the city, for where we’re going in the future,†Brown said. “We feel like ... he’s just going to bring a lot, not only as a player but as a human being — his leadership skills and the energy that he’s going to bring to this club. So I’m fired up.â€
Correa spent his first seven years in Houston, where he became one of the most beloved players in franchise history, helping the team to six playoff appearances, three American League pennants and its first World Series title in 2017 — a championship tainted by a sign-stealing scandal. The top pick in the 2012 amateur draft and 2015 AL Rookie of the Year was part of the homegrown core that helped the Astros go from the league’s laughingstock to perennial contenders.
The Twins got minor-league pitcher Matt Mikulski in return for Correa. They will also pay $33 million of the $103,419,355 remaining on his contract.
“We feel like Correa is bringing value and with that we felt like we were going to be aggressive with it,†Brown said. “And so we felt like this guy is affordable and so we went all in.â€
The 26-year-old Mikulski, who was a second-round pick in the 2021 draft by the San Francisco Giants, was promoted earlier this season to Houston's High-A affiliate in Asheville. He has 245 strikeouts in 225 2/3 minor league innings.
Also on Thursday, the Astros acquired outfielder Jesús Sánchez from the Marlins in exchange for right-hander Ryan Gusto, minor league infielder Chase Jaworsky and minor league outfielder Esmil Valencia.
The left-handed Sánchez gives a boost to a lineup that has the fewest at-bats from the left side of the plate in MLB this season with slugger Yordan Alvarez out since early May with a fractured hand.
Brown said they pursued pitching but that the focus was improving their slumping offense since injured starters Spencer Arrighetti, Cristian Javier and Luis GarcÃa are all close to returning.
“The asking prices for the arms seem to be pretty high,†Brown said. “And knowing that we had some arms coming back, we stuck with the bats and these bats, we feel like are going to make a pretty good impact on our offense, help us score some runs and win some games.â€
Correa, who waived his no-trade clause, has exclusively played shortstop in his 11-year major league career, but Brown said he'll move to third base for the AL West leaders with shortstop Jeremy Peña close to returning from the injured list. The Astros need help at third with All-Star Isaac Paredes out indefinitely with a hamstring injury.
“This guy is a warrior,†Brown said when asked about the position change. “He’s a team-first guy and we had no doubts knowing the human being and the makeup that he would make that adjustment.â€
Charismatic and an unquestioned leader in the clubhouse, Correa could help galvanize a team that has managed to remain atop the division standings despite dealing with multiple injuries to both its lineup and pitching staff.
Correa reunites with second baseman Jose Altuve, who is the Astros' longest-tenured player and one of his closest friends on the team. When asked about the possibility of Correa returning to Houston on Wednesday, Altuve raved about him before saying: "So I think — if anything (were) to happen, I hope it’s the best for him and for us.â€
The 30-year-old Correa was named to two of his three All-Star Games while with the Astros and won a Gold Glove Award in 2021. He seemed to embrace the villain role when Houston became the league’s most hated team after it was revealed the Astros illegally stole signs in their run to the 2017 title and during the 2018 season.
He left when he became a free agent before the 2022 season when the Astros wouldn’t pay him what he believed he was worth, signing a three-year deal worth just over $105 million. Correa opted out of that contract after one year but re-signed with the Twins on a six-year, $200 million deal.
While Correa’s defense at shortstop has been impeccable and his leadership in the clubhouse strong, the investment for the Twins simply hasn’t panned out. He played the 2023 season through plantar fasciitis in his left foot, batting just .230 with 131 strikeouts in 135 games and a pedestrian .711 OPS.
While the Twins made what was ultimately a cost-cutting move, president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said the genesis for the trade came from the Astros and not from a mandate to further slash the payroll.
“Carlos was never sitting there saying anything about demanding a trade or wanting to do something else. If it was right for the Twins and it was right for him, he was open to the conversation,†Falvey said.
He shined in the playoffs, helping the Twins end a record 18-game postseason losing streak and win a series for the first time in 21 years, and was enjoying an All-Star season in 2024 before plantar fasciitis popped up again — this time in his right foot. He had to withdraw from the All-Star Game and didn’t return until mid-September, after the Twins were already mired in a sharp swoon that pushed them out of playoff contention.
Correa has been much healthier this year, but not as productive. His .905 OPS in 2024 has fallen to .704 this year, with seven home runs in 93 games.
The contract he signed 2 1/2 years ago now constitutes a much larger percentage of the team’s payroll. The Twins have also seen a sharp decline in regional television revenue in light of the bankruptcy of Diamond Sports Group, which prompted a spending reduction by ownership. The Pohlad family has since put the club up for sale.
The Twins will pay what they owe Correa in installments due each Dec. 15: $3 million in 2025 and $10 million each in 2026, 2027 and 2028. Correa is owed $11,419,355 of his $36 million salary this year, $31.5 million next season, $30.5 million in 2027 and $30 million in 2028.
Correa's contract also includes vesting options for the 2029-2032 seasons.
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AP Sports Writer Dave Campbell and AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
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