We are almost at three months now since Major League Baseball locked the sport down on December 2. Since then, nothing.
Before that time though, players were negotiating about their next whereabouts for the 2022 season. The biggest fish in the market of course, was free agent shortstop Carlos Correa, whose had bites.
He turned down an offer from the Detroit Tigers before they went and signed Javier Baez. He had an offer from the Chicago Cubs, just like he did from the Houston Astros, but they aren’t the 10-year deal that he’s looking for.
One team that has been the main focus for a lot of people for Correa is the New York Yankees, who do have interest in Correa and spoke with his representation before the lockout.
It never seemed like the Yankees made any kind of pursuit for Corey Seager, who ended up taking a 10-year, $325 million deal with the Texas Rangers, despite the fact that he was a left-handed bat and would have filled a need at shortstop.
But the Yankees still have a massive hole at shortstop and with their top prospects not ready to come up yet; Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza, all things lead back to the Yankees.
But the Yankees aren’t the only team with deep pockets who could spend for Correa. The Cubs are in the mix, but they apparently are only willing to go seven years. The Astros only went to five and haven’t budged since then.
The Boston Red Sox have Xander Bogearts, but could always move him to second base if they have to.
Then there’s the Los Angeles Angels, who have a returning Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon and the 2021 AL MVP in Shohei Ohtani. Having Correa in that lineup would certainty help their chances of competing for the postseason and a championship.
And then the Philadelphia Phillies, with Dave Dombrowski running the team and whose never been afraid to spend big when needed. All he’d have to do is move the aging Didi Gregorius, whose on the final year of a contract.
Will the Yankees unload the checkbook to go get Correa? Until the lockout ends, we all continue to play the waiting game.
