Giants’ problem with Carlos Correa’s physical revealed: report

The MLB community woke up to a bombshell Wednesday morning, when shortstop Carlos Correa signed a 12-year, $315 million deal with the New York Mets after initially agreeing to a 13-year, $350 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. 

Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi spoke about what happened between the team and Correa that led to the shocking move, stating a “difference of opinion” in the shortstop’s physical was the issue. While Correa was cleared by doctors, the Giants didn’t like what they saw in the reports. 

The issue they didn’t like was reportedly the ankle injury Correa suffered in 2014 while in the Houston Astros’ farm system that required surgery to repair a fractured right fibula and ligament, per NBC Sports Bay Area.

Correa has previously dealt with back issues, and while that was the initial thought as to why the medicals could hold up the deal, it wasn’t the case. 

San Francisco was just hours away from having a press conference to announce the Correa signing. However, news broke that both sides had that difference of opinion on his medicals, and the press conference was canceled. 

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It was then that Mets owner Steve Cohen — who hasn’t been shy to flex his financial muscle this offseason, having already landed pitcher Justin Verlander, Japanese star Kodai Senga and others — swooped in to bring Correa to Queens. 

The New York Post reported early Wednesday that Correa was in fact heading to the Mets, and the 2021 American League Platinum Glove Award winner will be moving to third base, with Francisco Lindor already at shortstop.

The Mets spoke with Correa’s agent Scott Boras about Correa before he agreed to his deal with the Giants, according to SNY, but a deal progressed very quickly late Tuesday night.

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“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,” Zaidi said in a statement.

The Giants have now come up on the losing end of two massive prospective deals. Slugger Aaron Judge also was seemingly on the verge of playing for his hometown team, but rejoined the New York Yankees and was named their 16th franchise captain in the process. 

On the other hand, the Mets have committed over $790 million in payroll this offseason, including the $86.6 million Verlander deal over the next two seasons; a five-year, $102 million deal to pitcher Edwin Diaz before he had a chance to speak with other teams; and outfielder Brandon Nimmo’s return on an eight-year, $162 million pact.