Exploring Which Teams Are Left To Bid On Carlos Correa

Now that the Detroit Tigers have brought in Javy Baez on a $140M deal, and the Texas Rangers have blown the bank on Marcus Semien and Corey Seager, which teams still have a need, and an inclination to spend $300M+ on Carlos Correa?

In addition to the Tigers and Rangers, thought to be two of the favourites for Correa, reports have the New York Yankees not shopping in the expensive aisle when it comes to shortstops.

Correa is committed to remaining at short, unlike others, like Semien and perhaps Trevor Story, who can shift to other positions. A lot of the other teams with money to spend already have their SS:

The Seattle Mariners are committed to J.P. Crawford at short, the Boston Red Sox have a guy named Xander Boegarts, and the Los Angeles Dodgers have Trea Turner at SS, now that Seager left for Texas. However, keep in mind that both Boegarts and Turner can become free agents after 2022.

Three teams that could easily use an upgrade at short, and have some money to spend, are the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Angels. But according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, all those teams would seem to be focused on spending to upgrade their pitching this offseason, and they all have already committed huge long-term contracts to two position players (Nolan Arenado/Paul Goldschmidt, Bryce Harper/JT Realmuto, and Mike Trout/Anthony Rendon).

Sources say Correa is still in touch with the Houston Astros, the incumbent, but he was already "insulted" with their "lowball" offer of $160M earlier in the process.

Javy Baez to the Tigers, so what’s the Carlos Correa market looking like? Corey Seager deal likely pushed Correa’s money to $350M+. Tigers and Rangers are out. We’re to believe the Yankees and Astros won’t pay. Why do I feel like the Dodgers will come out of nowhere on this one?
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) November 30, 2021

And so, as things usually go when a big name, big money player is available, it could indeed all come back to the Dodgers. With Trea Turner set to become a free agent after the season, and already having shown he can slide over to 2B, L.A. just might cover their bases, so to speak, by bringing in Correa. And how tasty would that be putting LA public enemy No. 1 in that clubhouse?

If that happens, we can only hope that free agent Joe Kelly returns as well.