With less than a month until the beginning of the regular season, players are getting reps in during spring training games while front offices are finalizing their Opening Day rosters.
With many of the final big names finding their homes for the 2022 season, let’s take a look at some of the biggest stories of the last week.
Correa Signs With Twins
Arguably one of the top free agents in all of Major League Baseball made his final decision this weekend. In a bit of a shocker, the Minnesota Twins agreed to a three-year, $105.3 million deal with shortstop Carlos Correa.
Making $35.1 million each year, Correa now becomes the highest-paid infielder on an annual average basis in MLB. The three-year deal includes opt outs after each of the first two years of the deal, meaning that Correa could conceivably test the market next year as a year in his search for a 10-year deal.
Last season, with the Houston Astros, Correa hit .279/.366/.485 with 26 home runs, 92 runs batted in, and 104 runs scored. Bucking the idea of being injury-prone, Correa played in 148 of the 162 games last season.
The Twins struggled last season, finishing in dead last in the AL Central with a 73-89 record, 20 games behind the Chicago White Sox. This is not the first move the Twins have made, though, as they have also acquired Sonny Gray, Gary Sanchez, and Gio Urshela in separate trades. They have also been connected to the A’s and their starters, Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas.
Their series of moves have propelled them up to a tie for the second-best odds of winning the division at +600. They are +6500 to win the World Series.
Red Sox Net Story
Correa wasn’t the only big-name shortstop to sign a deal this weekend. Trevor Story found his landing place as he signed a six-year deal with the Boston Red Sox worth $140 million.
The deal includes one opt out after year four of the deal that can be avoided if the Red Sox pick up an option for a seventh year worth $25 million.
Given the incumbent Xander Bogaerts will be the starting shortstop, it appears that Story will be making a positional change to second base. With the Rockies last year, Story hit .251/.329/.471 with 24 home runs, 75 runs batted in, 88 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases.
In a loaded AL East, the Red Sox still have just the fourth-best odds of winning the division at +500. They are +1800 to win the World Series.
Phillies Add Power To The Outfield
The Philadelphia Phillies’ lineup just gained a ton of power as they added not one but two potent bats to their outfield mix. Both Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos are joining a lineup that already includes sluggers like Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto.
For Schwarber, he signed a four-year, $79 million contract. Last season, Schwarber hit .266/.374/.554 with 32 home runs, 71 runs batted in, and 76 runs scored in 399 combined at bats between Washington and Boston.
Castellanos also had a dominant year last year, with the Reds hitting .309/.362/.576 with 34 home runs, 100 runs batted in, and 95 runs. He signed a five-year deal worth $100 million.
For defensive purposes, it is likely that neither of these two will be roaming the outfield at the same time. Rather, this is an example of the National League designated hitter being a huge shift for the upcoming season as it gives the Phillies some flexibility.
Philadelphia currently has the third-best odds in the NL East at +500, trailing just the Braves and Mets, who are both at +140.
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