SAN FRANCISCO — There’s an alternate world in which Carlos Correa is playing out the second year of a 13-year contract with the San Francisco Giants.

But even though he’s playing at Oracle Park for the first time since his agreement with the Giants fell through in December 2022, it’s not something the Twins’ star says he really thinks about.

“Not really,” he said. “Whatever happened that year happened. After that, I moved on. And I’m very happy where I’m at right now.”

So, too, are the Twins.

While the Twins were pursuing Correa in free agency after he opted out of the final two years of his first contact with them, their offer was eclipsed by the offer from the Giants, who ended up agreeing to a 13-year, $350 deal with him.

It would have been the fourth-largest commitment in MLB history and the richest for a shortstop, but the Giants ended up balking at his medical records due to an old ankle injury.

“I was excited to explore the city. I was looking for houses. That part was exciting,” Correa said. “But once it fell through, it was time to move on.”

How close was he to becoming a Giant?

“It was a press conference away,” Correa said.

Correa and his camp quickly pivoted, and he came to an agreement on a 12-year, $315 million megadeal with the New York Mets instead.

The Mets ended up having the same concerns, paving the way for his return to Minnesota, where he has helped shape the clubhouse culture and returned to his all-star form.

“Was it odd to see all the different news coming out every day, going in different directions? Yeah,” manager Rocco Bladelli said. “There were a lot of different things coming out, but I could not be happier to be sitting where we’re at.”

Castro reaction

When his manager showed up at his San Francisco hotel room on Thursday morning shortly after he had awoken, Willi Castro was fearing the worst.

“In my mind, I was thinking maybe I wasn’t hustling. Maybe he’s not happy with something,” Castro said. “I thought it was something bad. That’s the first thing that goes through your mind when the manager is calling you.”

Instead, Baldelli had some happy news to deliver to the super utilityman: He had been named to the all-star team as a replacement on the American League roster for second baseman Jose Altuve.

It’s a long way from just a year and a half ago, when he signed a minor league deal with the Twins and was fighting to just make the team out of spring training.

“I’ve worked hard for this, and being an all-star is really special,” Castro said.

A few days earlier after Correa had been named to the team, Castro said Baldelli had pulled him aside to tell him he deserved to go and to let him know that things could change.

When Altuve had to back out — coincidentally he pulled out to recover from a sore hand after Josh Winder hit him with a pitch last week — Castro got his opportunity.

“He’s a fine human being and a fine ballplayer, and he’s earned this,” Baldelli said. “I like that in 2024, you can look at a guy who plays all over the field, is productive and we can celebrate that person, we can get behind that person, we can call him an all-star.”

Castro has appeared in all of the Twins’ games thus far this season, has played all over the field, filling in for a number of his teammates when they suffered injuries, and has been among the team’s most productive hitters.

He woke Correa up with a call shortly after Baldelli let him know to tell him the good news.

“I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s (expletive) go.’ He’s a guy that deserved to be there in the first place,” Correa said. “The fact that he’s in the All-Star Game and I’m going to be able to share it with him is going to be extra special.”

Farmer injured

Kyle Farmer landed on the injured list on Friday with a right shoulder strain, an injury Baldelli said the infielder had been battling through for some time.

“It’s more than just a little sore,” Baldelli said. “His arm’s really bothering him. We’re going to shut him down right now and let him get that shoulder back to where it needs to be.”

To fill his spot on the roster, the Twins recalled catcher Jair Camargo, giving them three catchers on the roster for the final three days of the first half.

Baldelli said part of the reason for it was that the Twins are scheduled to face two lefties in San Francisco, and the move will help give them the maximum amount of flexibility.

On Friday, both Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vázquez were in the starting lineup, with the latter serving as the team’s designated hitter.

Briefly

Simeon Woods Richardson is scheduled to start for the Twins on Saturday against the Giants. The game will start at 6:15 p.m. CDT and will be televised on KMSP, Channel 9. … Jose Miranda was scratched from Friday’s game with low back tightness.

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