Mets, Correa try to strike a deal
Shortstop Carlos Correa is not a New York Met just yet.
After his latest physical, the Mets seem to have the same consternation as the San Francisco Giants regarding a 2014 surgery that repaired Correa’s fractured right fibula, according to a report by The Athletic.
Correa and the Mets agreed to a 12-year, $315 million deal on Dec. 21, roughly 12 hours after the Giants canceled an introductory press conference with Correa following their own medical concerns.
Correa suffered the leg injury and ligament damage during a game with the Lancaster JetHawks, the Class A+ affiliate of the Houston Astros, and his cleat got stuck in a base.
Here are some of the pressing questions as Correa and the Mets try to find common ground after his latest physical:
What will any deal with Correa look like?
After the Giants got cold feet on their initial 13year, $350 million deal with Correa, the Mets swooped in and scored the shortstop’s services for one fewer year and around $670,000 less in average salary.
Now, after two separate agreements, how would Correa react to having to take another discount or return to the market? A handful of teams are waiting in the wings, but that could mean another physical and another round of negotiations.
The Mets have to balance Correa’s strong recent performance – he has played an average of 142 games the last two seasons with a combined 48 home runs and 156 RBI – with his checkered injury history.
If Correa is willing, a new deal with the Mets could include contingencies to protect the team from future issues with pre-existing injuries related to his leg.
Correa’s agent, Scott Boras, has made similar concessions to get a deal across the line in the past.
How do Steve Cohen’s public comments impact negotiations?
When the Mets’ deal was initially reported, Mets owner Steve Cohen made the team’s intentions known publicly before the deal was completely official.
Those comments from Cohen would suggest that the team will work hard to get Correa into a Mets uniform, even despite the latest concerns around his medicals.
If the deal falls through, the Mets would be faced with rolling out a near-identical lineup to opening day in 2022.
But Cohen made it clear that he hoped the
New York team would add another bat.
How would signing Correa impact Mets roster?
The two players who stand the most to lose from Correa signing with the Mets are Eduardo Escobar and Luis Guillorme.
Guillorme spent the 2022 season as manager Buck Showalter’s optimal platoon infielder, filling in at third base when Escobar was injured and second base when Jeff McNeil shifted into the outfield.
But signing Correa could push Escobar, who has played three of the four infield positions, into that role.
Signing Correa could open up one of the two players for a trade.
Also, Brett Baty, who is one of the team’s top prospects, was expected to be the third baseman in waiting, but a deal for Correa could move him to develop as an outfielder.