Looks like Boras hit him with a dose of that good honesty: between a COVID-shortened season in 20202, the lockout, and Trevor Story giving teams an opportunity to play things close to the vest, he wasn't going to get that 10/350mm mega deal this winter. So, he still gets a huge annual value, guaranteed for three years if he needs it, and if he plays like the MVP shortstop he's obviously got the talent for, then he opts out and gets that mega deal next winter. Or the winter after.

And if you're the Twins and you literally don't have a starting shortstop except for the possibility that either of Royce Lewis/Austin Martin pulls off hitting to their potential and sticking at short* then you get a legit contender to put up 6-7 wins. If he doesn't do that, then you just pencil in the same expectation for 2023 since he's young and sublimely talented. Or you trade him and recoup a huge bundle.

Feels like a good deal for everybody involved. Still can't believe it happened. Weirdly doesn't actually make the Twins a good team quite yet, though that lineup is going to ruin a lot of weekends for opposing pitching staffs. Pitching staff is obviously a big weakness, though the bullpen has the capability to be fine and I'm higher on Joe Ryan than just about anybody. The Gray/Ryan front looks like a good way to start a playoff series to me, but you've got to actually get there and I kind of hate the rotation depth for that. Going after one of those starters that Oakland is dangling would be nice, but I'm hardly going to hold my breath for another huge move. Correa's probably it on that front for the rest of the decade.

*Both outcomes probably impossible for 2022. Former outcome is kind of likely, with the usual "prospects are complicated" variance and the latter outcome is, at this point, extremely unlikely

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"Walleye, a lot of things are going to go wrong in your life that technically aren't your fault. Always remember that this doesn't make you any less of an idiot"

--Walleye's Dad