The Mets have expressed concern over Carlos Correa’s physical that could change the deal between the two sides, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports.
New York reportedly is unsure over the “long-term stability” of Correa’s lower right leg, which the the infielder had surgically repaired in June of 2014 while he was in the Astros minor leagues. Correa underwent an arthroscopic surgery on a fractured right fibula which he injured sliding into a base.
After the surgery, Correa appears to have a plate in his right leg closer to his ankle, something that he acknowledged after a game with the Twins in September.
The Mets are the second team in a week to be worried over Correa’s physical, as the Giants were so concerned about it that it prompted Correa to agree to a deal with New York instead, after originally agreeing to one with San Francisco. The Giants described Correa’s medical issues as a “difference of opinion” in a statement after the deal fell through.
Correa’s agent Scott Boras explained that he believed he gave the Giants a reasonable amount of time to renegotiate a deal before engaging the Mets again. Boras also tried to re-engage discussions with the Twins, who offered Correa a 10-year, $285 million deal prior to the reported Giants agreement. However, Minnesota, who signed Correa to a three-year deal last offseason, would not raise its offer without looking at the issue, and would have given “greater scrutiny” to the physical this year than it did last year thanks to the term increase.
According to Rosenthal, the news doesn’t necessarily mean that Correa won’t play for the Mets in the end, but it is something that could lead to a restructured deal. Correa and New York had agreed to a 12-year, $315 million contract after Correa’s 13-year, $350 million deal with San Francisco fell through.
