Ranking Correa, Turner, Bogaerts, Swanson Contracts from Best to Worst

Even with Carlos Correa's future up in the air, we took the time to rank the best free agent contracts of the offseason to the worst, including Dansby Swanson, Xander Bogaerts and Trea Turner, all of whom found new homes this winter.

As the MLB hot stove begins to cool off in late December with most big ticket free agents now off the board, now is a good time to rank the contracts that free agent shortstops Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson agreed to, in order of which deals are the best investments to the worst investments, in my opinion.

Correa's deal with the New York Mets has yet to be finalized. But for today's exercise, we'll use the reported 12-year, $315 million contract, unless we hear that Correa's deal has been restructured. Here's a look at my rankings:

1) Dansby Swanson: 7 years, $177 million with Chicago Cubs

Personally, I don't believe the Cubs needed to make this signing. The club appears to be two years away from seriously competing in the National League Central. If I were running the club, I would have waited longer to sign a big ticket free agent. I would use the next two years to develop young talent and identify needs that can later be addressed via free agency. Instead, two years of Swanson's prime will likely be wasted on a mid-level team. Meanwhile, I thought the Cubs had a rather promising middle infield already with Nico Hoerner and Nick Madrigal up the middle. However, given the amount of years, I think this is the best pure contract of the four.

Unlike the other three contracts, Swanson's deal will not run into his 40s or even his late 30s. Swanson's last year of the seven-year deal will be his age-35 season. Swanson could be entering an offensive peak, as he has seen an uptick in his production over the last two years, and the former no. 1 overall pick has proven himself to be a clutch hitter. Even if he takes steps backwards at the plate, however, Swanson should remain among the game's best defensive shortstops.

2) Trea Turner: 11 years, $300 million with Philadelphia Phillies

Turner, Correa and Bogaerts all received deals of eleven years or more. Turner is the best hitter of the bunch and will age the best in my opinion. His speed will eventually diminish to a degree, but he should remain steady at the plate, for the most part.

The Phillies expect Turner to continue to produce at an elite level over the next handful of years. I don't imagine that they expect him to produce at that same level in his late 30s and early 40s, but that is a sacrifice the club made, in order to acquire Turner's services. As is the same with the Padres and Mets in their pursuits of Bogaerts and Correa. Unlike Swanson, though, Turner is not an elite defensive shortstop. I imagine he will move to another infield position before the end of his contract.

3) Xander Bogaerts: 11 years, $280 million with San Diego Padres

The deal Bogaerts got genuinely surprised a lot of people, myself included. 2022 was the first season in Bogaerts' ten-year MLB career in which he logged a positive Defensive Runs Saved total. He hasn't been a great defensive player, and isn't the baserunner Turner is. He is however, a very good hitter.

4) Carlos Correa: 12 years, $315 million with New York Mets (yet to be finalized)

I already made my case in a column yesterday, titled "Collapsed Correa Deal is Blessing in Disguise for Giants", so I'll make this brief:

Correa has landed on the Injured List seven times in his eight-year Major League career. In only one of his eight seasons has Correa played 150 games or more. In five of his big league seasons, Correa has played fewer than 111 games.

Through Correa's eight big league seasons, he has finished top-15 in American League MVP voting just once. Only once has the shortstop been a top-15 player in the American League by that measuring stick. Correa's deal with the Giants, would have made him the fourth-highest paid player in baseball history.

Given Correa's injury history and newly raised medical concerns, I can't see how this contract will age well in the slightest.

Check out the latest episode of the Jack Vita Show for more MLB offseason analysis!

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