Could Carlos Correa’s physical Scuttle Mets trade?
The status of the Mets’ deal with Carlos Correa is the prevailing story in MLB right now. Reports surfaced over the weekend that New York had problem taken with something related to Correa’s right leg/ankle during his physical exam. There remains optimism that the parties will be able to reach an agreement, although he did present another twist in an unexpected saga for one of the best free agents of the offseason.
The Mets had rushed to agree to terms with Correa on a 12-year, $315 million deal, pending physical, a day after the Giants backed out of a 13-year, $350 million contract after his doctors supposedly took issue with something. on the All-Star’s right leg. Correa underwent his physical with the Mets last Thursday; reports surfaced on Saturday afternoon that the exam had not gone well.
With the holiday weekend coming up, the discussions between the Mets and Correa’s camp have apparently been on the back burner a bit over the past few days. Last night, Jon Heyman of the New York Post he wrote that a few other teams had contacted the player’s representatives after word of the physical concerns spread. However, Heyman noted that Correa remained focused on the Mets through last night, with dialogue between his camp and the New York organization more productive than it had been with San Francisco in the hours after the Giants raised concerns about the Mets. Correa’s physical during his exam.
Post’s Mike Cougar provides additional context tonight, reporting that more than three rival teams have contacted the Boras Corporation about Correa after the Mets expressed concern. Puma writes that the 28-year-old would rather join the Mets than return to free agency after a second deal fell apart, but suggests Correa’s camp isn’t open to changing the asking price of 12-year-olds, $315. million on the sides.
Puma suggests that Correa and the Mets are still more likely to pull something off, with one source pegging the odds of him landing in Queens at around 55%. However, Correa’s unwillingness to alter the basic framework of the deal could prove to be a stumbling block depending on how concerned the Mets are. Puma writes that a provision is being considered to protect the Mets should Correa’s right leg prove problematic during the life of the contract.
That kind of arrangement is rare, but not completely unprecedented. As an example, another Boras Corporation customer JD Martinez He modified his contract with the Red Sox during the 2018-19 offseason after the team noted a foot problem during his physical. The parties moved forward with their agreed-upon framework of $110 million over five years, but included stipulations that would have allowed the Red Sox to opt out of the final two years of the contract in the event Martinez suffered another foot injury that resulted in a long stint on the disabled list (as reported by Evan Drellich, then of NBC Sports Boston). Martinez never suffered a serious injury and ended up playing out the five-year contract before returning to free agency this winter.
Correa has never had a season on the MLB disabled list related to his right leg, which he fractured as a prospect in 2014. The injury required surgery and ended his minor league season. He returned early the following year and hasn’t missed any notable time because of the problem since, though doctors for both the Giants and Mets have now identified something that gives them pause.
It seems that there will be more clarity on the matter in the coming days. It will likely remain the top story of the sport until either the parties finalize the deal or Correa’s camp decides to return to free agency. Various reports continue to suggest that the above result is likely, although it is far from certain.