MLB Rumors: Very Unexpected Team Could Pursue Correa In Free Agency

For many baseball fans, the Houston Astros cheating scandal never will go away. But nowhere is it more intense than in the city that they "stole" a World Series from in 2017 while using illegal means, Los Angeles. 

That's what makes the latest report from MLB Insider Jon Heyman so surprising: The Los Angeles Dodgers are "keeping an eye" on free agent Carlos Correa—the No. 1 bad guy of the 2017 scandal and the repercussions that followed. 

The hatred and booing from Dodgers fans were still at an all-time high this season whenever Correa made an appearance at Chavez Ravine. 

I'm a big never say never guy, but I think it's safe to say that the Dodgers will never seriously consider signing Carlos Correa even if they can't lock up Trea Turner.

Great player, not a future Dodger.

pic.twitter.com/CnBMBhBUk3

— Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA) August 11, 2022

Correa is on the Dodgers' radar, however, because their own shortstop, superstar Trea Turner, is a free agent, and there's no guarantee that he'll be returning to LA. He has told anyone who'll listen that he's loved his time in Tinseltown, but the rumor that he wants to return to the East Coast just won't go away. 

According to Heyman in the New York Post, the Dodgers "are surveying a very rich shortstop market. No surprise they appear to have landed on the other comparably great free-agent shortstop as an enticing 1A choice: Carlos Correa. They love everything he brings, and thus far don’t seem to have 2017 reservations."

To be clear, Correa doesn't quite bring the same superstar power-speed-batting combo that Turner does, but any of Correa, Dansby Swanson or Xander Bogaerts (the latter two will be exercising opt-outs to become free agents) would be reasonable facsimiles for Turner as a replacement. 

For the second straight offseason, the shortstop market will dominate the free agent market. And no doubt the Dodgers will be right in the thick of it. 

Photo: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports