Houston Astros fans want Jim Crane to pay Carlos Correa, but is it really that simple? Correa came through in the clutch in Game 2.
Correa is one of only a few 2017 World Series champions remaining on the Houston Astros roster. That team, of course, was punished as a result of MLB’s investigation into illegal sign-stealing.
One by one, the Astros have parted ways with any influence from that team, including some by force. Correa, however, has been a mainstay, in part because he’s among the best shortstops in all of baseball.
Correa’s contract runs up after this season, making him an unrestricted free agent. He’s expected to make upwards of $26.6 million per season in the free agent market, per Spotrac. He’s also projected to get somewhere close to a 10-year contract.
Is Astros owner Jim Crane willing to pay that price? Thus far, the hints have suggested a pretty defiant “no.”
Astros: Carlos Correa delivers ‘pay me’ moment
In the seventh inning against White Sox reliever Craig Kimbrel, Correa delivered a double to extend the Astros lead to 7-4.
Crane has gone on the record, saying the team will make a run at re-signing Correa. While that sounds good in the press, what it actually means remains to be seen. The Astros could make an offer to Correa and lowball him, and technically get to say they made said contract available. That doesn’t mean it was a realistic offer, however.
Just a month ago, Correa was convinced this was his final season in Houston. He even went on the record saying so, to The Athletic.
“My last year with the Astros,” Correa said. “Hopefully we can win another championship and I can leave this great organization with two of them.”
The odds of that changing on the fly still seem slim, unless Crane really has a change of heart.