Report: Correa joins Mets on 12-year, $315M deal as Giants pact collapses
Carlos Correa struck a 12-year, $315-million agreement with the New York Mets, spurning the San Francisco Giants hours after his introductory press conference was nixed, sources told Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
The star shortstop previously agreed to a 13-year, $350-million deal with the Giants. The team was scheduled to unveil him Tuesday, but a concern arose regarding his physical, postponing proceedings.
A pre-MLB injury appears to have been the issue discovered during Correa's physical examination, reports the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser.
"While we are prohibited from disclosing confidential medical information, as Scott Boras stated publicly, there was a difference of opinion over the results of Carlos' physical examination. We wish Carlos the best," Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said in a statement, according to NBC Sports' Alex Pavlovic.
Boras, Correa's agent, said the Giants indicated an interest in continuing negotiations after canceling Tuesday's press conference but didn't contact him afterward.
Correa’s camp and the Giants had a difference of opinion on the medical, and agent Scott Boras worked out a deal with Steve Cohen. “We needed one more thing. And this was it,” Cohen said.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 21, 2022
"This really makes a big difference," Mets owner Steve Cohen said of the Correa acquisition. "I felt like our pitching was in good shape. We needed one more hitter. This puts us over the top."
Correa, a two-time All-Star, hit free agency for the second time in as many years after the World Series. He signed a three-year contract with the Minnesota Twins last offseason but opted out after one campaign.
A former Gold Glove winner at shortstop, Correa will shift to third base with the Mets, according to Heyman. New York already has Francisco Lindor, a fellow former Gold Glove winner, entrenched at shortstop.
Mets' projected lineup in 2023
| ORDER | PLAYER | POS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandon Nimmo | CF |
| 2 | Carlos Correa | 3B |
| 3 | Francisco Lindor | SS |
| 4 | Pete Alonso | 1B |
| 5 | Jeff McNeil | 2B |
| 6 | Starling Marte | RF |
| 7 | Daniel Vogelbach | DH |
| 8 | Mark Canha | LF |
| 9 | Omar Narvaez | C |
Every member of the Mets' projected 2023 infield has appeared in at least two All-Star Games.
Correa owns a career slash line of .279/.357/.479 with 155 home runs and 553 RBIs. The 28-year-old played seven seasons with the Houston Astros before taking his talents to Minnesota, where he hit .291/.366/.467 with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs in 136 games for the Twins.
He's also an elite defender, amassing 70 defensive runs saved and 25 outs above average throughout his career.
Along with Correa, the Mets added free agents Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga, Jose Quintana, David Robertson, and Narvaez this offseason, while re-signing Edwin Diaz, Nimmo, and Adam Ottavino.
With Correa's addition, the Mets and Cohen have committed $806.1 million to free agents this offseason, pushing their payroll to almost half a billion when factoring in luxury-tax payments.
The New York Mets current payroll is estimated to be around $384 million. The luxury-tax payments alone will exceed $111 million. Their total payroll projects to be $495 million.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 21, 2022
The previous max payroll in baseball: less than $350 million. Mets are at almost half a billion.
However, the Mets owner seems unfazed by his club's hefty offseason spending.
"What the heck's the difference? If you're going to make the move, make the move," Cohen said.