Carlos Correa Says He Wants to Build 'Championship Culture' with Twins

Minnesota Twins star Carlos Correa is looking to help set the tone for his new team.

"I want to build a championship culture in this organization," Correa said, per the Associated Press' Jake Seiner.

The two-time All-Star won a World Series with the Houston Astros and also reached the Fall Classic with them in 2019 and 2021. 

Referencing Correa's experience, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said the shortstop "elevates the confidence because this person has simply done this before."

Correa's decision to sign with Minnesota was one of the biggest surprises of the MLB offseason so far. He signed a three-year, $105 million pact that allows him to opt out in 2023 or 2024.

The Athletic's Dan Hayes and Ken Rosenthal reported on the details of what led up to the deal.

The Twins had effectively taken Correa off their board in the belief he wasn't a realistic target anymore and focused instead on Trevor Story. Minnesota then looked at a potential trade for Elvis Andrus from the Oakland Athletics before Correa's agent, Scott Boras, reached out to the team.

"At that point we shifted," general manager Thad Levine said when Boras told the team Correa might settle for a shorter contract than expected. "That’s where we literally dropped everything and dedicated the rest of the day to [Correa]."

It's the kind of anecdote that will be told for years to come if Correa can help deliver the Twins their first World Series title since 1991.

Of course, the structure of his contract carries some risk for Minnesota.

If he has another big season, then he might want to test the free-agent waters again next winter. At that point, his value might be too rich for the Twins.

In addition, missing the playoffs could be a setback that causes the 27-year-old to reconsider his future in Minneapolis.

But offering those two player options was a risk the Twins needed to take if it meant the difference between landing Correa and missing out altogether. The upside is that it could be a transformative transaction for the franchise.