Any team hoping to sign Carlos Correa will have to back up the Brinks truck, as the All-Star shortstop is eyeing a potentially historic contract in free agency.
Correa is seeking to outdo Francisco Lindor's $341-million deal with the New York Mets and won't settle for less, sources told Matthew Roberson of the New York Daily News.
Lindor's contract, signed on the eve of the 2021 season, was the third-largest by dollar value in MLB history and the highest ever for a shortstop - beating Fernando Tatis Jr.'s extension by $1 million.
Correa's made no secret of his desire to secure a massive payday. In April, as his negotiations with the Houston Astros faltered, he told the Houston Chronicle's Chandler Rome that he wants "a big, long contract." Shortly before officially hitting free agency, he reportedly turned down a five-year, $160-million offer from the Astros that was far below his asking price.
The 27-year-old headlines a stacked group of free-agent shortstops this offseason following a stellar 2021 campaign. Correa slashed .279/.366/.485 with 26 homers and 92 RBIs, won both a Gold Glove at shortstop and the AL Platinum Glove as his league's best defensive player, and appeared in more than 145 games for the first time since 2016.
Correa officially turned down the Astros' qualifying offer Wednesday, meaning he's tied to draft-pick compensation should he sign elsewhere.
