When the San Francisco Giants pulled out of their 13-year, $350 million agreement with Carlos Correa after the 2022 season, it felt like another chapter in the franchise's long-running saga of missed opportunities. The deal was unprecedented in its collapse—no contract of that magnitude had ever fallen apart so late in the process.

But sometimes, the best deals are the ones you don't make.

After the Giants backed out due to medical concerns, Correa's free agency took another wild turn. He agreed to a deal with the Mets that also failed to reach the finish line, eventually landing with the Minnesota Twins on a still-substantial $200 million contract. The Twins later traded him back to his original team, the Houston Astros, where his 2026 season came to an abrupt end this week.

Correa tore a tendon in his left ankle during batting practice on Tuesday, ending his season immediately. It's a devastating blow for the Astros and a reminder of how quickly things can change in baseball.

For the Giants, it's a twist that has aged remarkably well. At the time, the decision felt like another "why can't we ever have nice things" moment for San Francisco fans. But now, it looks like $350 million well not spent. While it's impossible to know if Correa would have suffered the same injury on a different timeline, the Giants' medical team clearly saw something that gave them pause.

That's not to say everything is rosy in San Francisco—other players on the current roster are struggling, and the franchise still has plenty of work ahead. But in a sport where long-term contracts often become albatrosses, the Giants managed to dodge a bullet that could have haunted them for more than a decade.