MINNEAPOLIS — Consider the alternate reality in which the Giants signed Carlos Correa. His ankle was a nonissue. The prematurely scheduled press conference actually took place on that Tuesday before Christmas. For the next 10 years, he would wear “San Francisco” across his chest, at an average annual rate of $35 million.
Would Correa have already heard boos from fans at Oracle Park? Would the youth movement, namely Casey Schmitt, that has invigorated the Giants over the past two weeks have arrived yet? Would J.D. Davis and Thairo Estrada have emerged as All-Star caliber players, if a 36-year-old Brandon Crawford was instead taking up one of the spots at second or third base?
The Giants just might be asking themselves these questions — and breathing a sigh of relief — as they begin a three-game series Monday in Minnesota.
Correa re-signed with the Twins at a discounted rate a few weeks after his introductory press conference in San Francisco was abruptly called off. The Giants’ concerns were rooted in Correa’s right ankle, which was surgically repaired as a minor leaguer in 2014. Those worries were long-term — how would the ankle hold up on the back half of a contract that ran through his age-38 season? — but may have saved them from a short-term mistake.
The Twins (25-22) lead the AL Central despite Correa, not because of him.
Correa has drawn boos from the generally mild-manned Minnesota fans, and he recently told reporters, “I’d boo myself, too, with the amount of money I’m making, if I’m playing like that.” In his first 43 games since signing a six-year, $200 million deal with the Twins, Correa is on pace for career-lows in batting average (.206), on-base percentage (.298) and OPS (.686); his slugging percentage (.388) avoids the distinction by only a few points.
Entering Monday at 22-24, six games off the pace of the division-leading Dodgers, the Giants have not had a start for the ages. Their bullpen blew too many leads in April, and the free agents they did acquire have not performed up to expectations. But much of what has gone right this season has a direct line to their decision to pass on Correa.
Along with LaMonte Wade Jr., Davis and Estrada have been the Giants’ two best position players. Since joining them two weeks ago, Schmitt has been the most exciting thing for Giants fans to root for since their miraculous 107-win season in 2021.
Tied for the team lead in homers (eight), Davis has been 35% better than the ballpark-adjusted league average at the plate (135 OPS+) and ranks in the 95th percentile defensively at third base. Estrada leads the team in batting average (.309) and stolen bases (12) and has been a catalyst at the top of the lineup.
Dollars not dedicated to Correa can also be spent elsewhere in future offseasons. While the Giants pivoted to five other players (who have combined for minus-1.2 Wins Above Replacement, according to FanGraphs), they didn’t commit more than three years to anyone. There is, after all, a certain two-way player set to hit free agency this offseason, who is expected to command a record contract and whom the Giants are expected to pursue heavily.
There is still a good chance Correa returns to his form of the first eight years of his career, but even this version would still have been a definite upgrade at shortstop over Crawford, who has already dealt with multiple injuries and is on pace for much worse career-lows. The plan was to move Crawford into another starting spot, either to second or third, and benching a franchise icon is a tough thing to do.
The task is made easier when the player coming for his job could have it for years to come and has performed as Schmitt has. (Or, in the case of Correa, a player with an extensive track record who would make the team better.) He added two more hits to his ledger Sunday, giving him more through 12 games than all but one player in franchise history, and has made seven of those starts at shortstop.
One thing is certain if Correa were in San Francisco: Nobody would be talking about Schmitt as the Giants’ possible shortstop of the future. They certainly are now.
