In what could be an exciting offseason for the Yankees, will the Bombers be able to bring in top free agent Carlos Correa?
Well, the first shoe just dropped for the Yankees.
Now that Aaron Boone has been announced back on a three-year pact with a club option for the fourth, the Bronx Bombers are ready to roll this offseason. In what many predict to be a busy winter for the Yankees following a disappointing 2021, the biggest free agent on the market would fill a huge area of need for New York: Astros star shortstop Carlos Correa.
One of the Best Shortstops in Baseball
In 2021, Correa put together a dominant season, hitting .279 with a .366 on-base percentage. He played in 148 games and blasted 26 home runs and 92 RBI. Over the course of his career, he has an .837 OPS and 133 career long balls and is entering his prime. Correa turned 27 in late September and his most productive years are yet to come.
Also, Correa has been a monster in the postseason throughout his career, too. I know many would dismiss his numbers because of the cheating scandal from 2017, but just look at this year and Correa’s production, and you’d see, cheating or not, Correa is really, really good. In 71 playoff games, Correa is hitting .277 with a .348 OBP. He’s blasted 18 home runs, which would put him on roughly a 40 homer pace over the course of 162 games.
Yankees Hinting Towards the Future?
We all know the Yankees have had issues at shortstop, particularly this season. Between Gleyber Torres’ sloppy defensive play and lackluster hitting, shortstop appeared to be a big area of need throughout the regular season and heading into the offseason. As it turns out, Brian Cashman apparently feels the same way, saying that that position is an area that needs improvement for the Bombers.
Then again, actions speak louder than words, and now the pressure is on the Yanks to make moves this offseason. However, Cashman and the Yankees acknowledging the issue and saying it must get better is certainly a good start before the offseason begins.
Personally, I’d love Correa in pinstripes. We’re talking about a young player who is entering his prime and brings tons of attitude, fire, swagger, and skill to a team that can thrive with a villain. Obviously, he’s going to command a huge contract, but if the Yankees can deliver the bag, I’m sure Correa wouldn’t mind putting aside his differences with the Yankees to come to New York. Regardless, even if the Yankees don’t sign Correa, there are plenty of other options available to fix the issue at short. Namely Trevor Story, Corey Seager, and Marcus Semien.