Are the Detroit Tigers unwilling to meet Carlos Correa asking Price?

Before the free agency period even began, Carlos Correa to the Detroit Tigers was so “in” that many have assumed it was going to be a foregone conclusion.

Not so fast, Detroit Tigers fans.

According to a report ($) by Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers are currently unwilling to meet Correa’s asking price of $30 million a year, and $300 million total. Jon Heyman echoed that sentiment.

Tigers do love Carlos Correa but have heard from Tigers people who insist they will not spend $300M on any one player due to multiple needs. They are considering Javier Baez and Marcus Semien (and possibly Trevor Story though that’s unconfirmed), who won’t command that figure.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 19, 2021

I wonder who paid for breakfast?

Tigers general manager Al Avila is on the record stating that “sometimes you don’t have to make a big splash.”

This is not what the Motown faithful want to hear.

The organization has already shown signs of competitive fire this offseason by bringing in free-agent starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, and trading for former Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart.

Neither of those gents is as impactful as Carlos Correa, but few are.

The Tigers aren’t the only team looking for free-agent shortstop help. While there are a plethora of talented available free agents that can man the position, Correa is considered by many the best of this class. The Yankees, Rangers, and Astros are among a few of the teams that have been linked to big free agent shortstops. Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Javier Baez, and Trevor Story make up the rest of the superstar list available. It was reported by Jon Heyman that the Tigers have expressed an interest in Semien so that may be another avenue they may pursue.

Looking up at that tweet from Jon Heyman, the Tigers want to address multiple needs rather than shell out a fortune for one player. That’s completely understandable. However, the Tigers fan base has been roaring for an impactful offseason for years now, and making that commitment to Correa would go a long way towards boosting ticket sales, merchandise sales, and overall buzz around the team on a national level.

One thing is for sure. If the Tigers don’t wind up signing Correa but are able to add a multitude of talented players that make up a winning team and are in the playoff hunt, that buzz and all the joy and profit that comes with it will surely return to the Motor City. It’ll just be a slightly longer road.

Schedule