NEW YORK — Star shortstop Carlos Correa agreed early Saturday to a $105.3 million, three-year contract with the Minnesota Twins, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.
The move ends Correa’s seven-season tenure with the Houston Astros. He will earn $35.1 million annually under the deal and can opt out after the 2022 and 2023 seasons to become a free agent again.
Correa picking the Twins was a surprise, given they have lost 18 consecutive postseason games and finished last in the AL Central a year ago at 73-89.
His average salary becomes baseball’s fourth-highest behind New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer ($43.3 million), Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole ($36 million) and Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout ($35.5 million).
A two-time All-Star who was the first pick in the 2012 amateur draft, Correa helped lead the Astros’ turnaround. Houston lost more than 100 games each year from 2011-13, then won its first World Series title by beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games in 2017.
The Astros went on to AL pennants and World Series losses in 2019 and last year, and gained infamy for their cheating scandal that was revealed after the 2019 season.
Correa had a career-best 26 home runs last year to go along with a .279 batting average and 92 RBI. He finished fifth in AL MVP voting and won his first Gold Glove.
He has a .277 career average with 133 homers and 489 RBI.
Correa, the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year, also has been a stellar postseason performer with 18 homers and 59 RBI in 79 games.
PHILLIES: Free-agent slugger Nick Castellanos agreed to a $100 million, five-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical.
It was the second big free-agent splash this week for the Phillies, who are beefing up their lineup to compete with the busy Braves and Mets in the NL East. Kyle Schwarber agreed Wednesday to a four-year contract worth about $80 million, a deal that also was pending a successful physical.
Castellanos batted .309 with 34 homers, 100 RBI and a .939 OPS last year for the Cincinnati Reds, making his first All-Star team and winning a Silver Slugger Award. He is a .278 career hitter with 168 home runs, 594 RBI and an .814 OPS in nine major league seasons with the Tigers, Cubs and Reds.
A corner outfielder with a suspect glove, Castellanos joins reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper in the middle of a lineup that also features All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto.
BRAVES: Atlanta capped a busy week with another stunning move, signing three-time All-Star closer Kenley Jansen to a $16 million, one-year contract Friday night.
The 34-year-old Jansen, who had 38 saves and a 2.22 ERA in 69 appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, is expected to take over from Will Smith as the Braves’ primary closer.
PIRATES: Pittsburgh signed right-hander Heath Hembree to a one-year contract for $2,125,000 and first baseman Daniel Vogelbach to a $1 million deal.
Hembree, 33, was 2-7 with a 6.38 ERA last year for Cincinnati, then had a 3.45 ERA with no decisions after the New York Mets claimed him off waivers on Aug. 20.
An AL All-Star with Seattle in 2019 when he hit 30 homers with 76 RBI, Vogelbach batted .219 with nine homers and 23 RBI for Milwaukee last year.
TIGERS: Pitcher Michael Pineda and Detroit reached a one-year deal, the latest move by a team that’s been active before and after the 99-day lockout.
Pineda was 9-8 with a 3.62 ERA for Minnesota last season. The 33-year-old right-hander went 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA in his final five games, leading the majors in wins during September.
RANGERS: Veteran infielder Matt Carpenter signed a minor league contract with Texas.
The 36-year-old Carpenter, a three-time All-Star while playing his first 11 major league seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, would have a $2 million base salary while in the majors if added to the 40-man roster.
MARLINS: A person with direct knowledge of the situation said reigning World Series MVP Jorge Soler has agreed on a three-year, $36 million contract with Miami. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced.
Soler can opt out of the contract after 2022 and 2023.
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