Ever since free agency started, the New York Yankees have said they need a shortstop, since Gleyber Torres won’t play at the position in 2022. Fans would love to welcome Carlos Correa to the Bronx, but several realities could affect those plans.
First and foremost, Correa’s price tag (more than $320 million, most likely) is one the Yankees aren’t all that comfortable paying. Second, they have a solid fallback option in Trevor Story who could be cheaper and similarly talented. And third, they would like to wait for Oswald Peraza and Anthony Volpe, two of their best prospects.
The thing is that Volpe is not yet ready for the majors, and Peraza may need to prove himself at Triple-A, too. The Yankees have considered a short-term stopgap option, like Andrelton Simmons, for this season, and then hand the keys to the shortstop position to either Volpe or Peraza.
The Astros and Tigers could also compete with the Yankees for Correa
Another potential flaw in the Correa-to-the-Yankees plan is that they will have competition for his services. According to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, a source told him that the Chicago Cubs, “who engaged with Carlos Correa in negotiations before the lockout began, are among the favorites to sign him as the market reopens.”
Additionally, Mark Berman, the sports director at KRIV in Houston, says the Astros (Correa’s former team) have not given up on the idea of re-signing him.
“I’m sure we’ll engage one more time and we’ll see what happens. Carlos is a great player. He’s a one-of-a-kind player. I thought we made a good offer before. We’ll see where they’re at on their side. I’m sure we’ll talk to them shortly,” he said.
The Yankees could also face competition from the Boston Red Sox, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Detroit Tigers, not to mention the Seattle Mariners.
Correa hit 26 home runs, scored 104 runs, and drove in 92 in 2021. It was also his finest year defensively, as he won both the Gold and Platinum Glove awards. The Yankees haven’t had a shortstop like him in a while.