Carlos Correa

San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi told reporters Friday it has been frustrating to not talk much publicly about the situation with shortstop Carlos Correa, who agreed to a megadeal with the team before the Giants backed out, reportedly because of medical concerns.

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle relayed some of Zaidi's remarks:

The Giants agreed to sign Correa to a 13-year, $350 million contract, but the deal fell through because of the team's concern over a medical issue.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported the red flag was a broken right fibula Correa suffered during a minor league game in 2014. San Francisco was reportedly concerned about "the long-term stability of his leg—and the potential for Correa to quickly lose the mobility that won him a Platinum Glove in 2021."

According to Passan, Zaidi called Correa's agent, Scott Boras, with his concerns over the medical report the night before the team's planned introductory press conference. The Giants asked Boras for more time and postponed the press conference, and then they backed out of the 13-year deal.

Boras went public with his side.

"They said at that point in time they needed more information, they needed more discussion," the superagent told reporters. "They wanted to continue to talk, but at this time they couldn't go forward. And then I advised them that I had to pursue alternative measures on behalf of Carlos with other teams."

Correa then agreed to a 12-year, $315 million contract with the New York Mets, but the contract hasn't been finalized because they too have concerns following the physical, per Ken Rosenthal and Dan Hayes of The Athletic.

A source told Mike Puma of the New York Post on Monday that there was a 55 percent chance the deal would go through. The Post's Jon Heyman reported the contract "by all rights, should get done," noting both Correa and Mets owner Steve Cohen "badly" want to finalize it.

As for the Giants, it's been a frustrating offseason. They lost out on another superstar after pursuing American League MVP Aaron Judge, who decided to stay with the New York Yankees. San Francisco's 2022 ace, All-Star Carlos Rodón, is also a Yankee now after leaving in free agency.

San Francisco did strengthen its outfield, though, by signing Mitch Haniger, reportedly adding Michael Conforto and re-signing Joc Pederson. The Giants also added Sean Manaea to the starting rotation.

The Carlos Correa saga remains in flux, but one insider believes it will eventually end with the shortstop suiting up for the New York Mets.

"I'd be surprised if he's not [a Met]," a person close to the situation told Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

While headline players such as Aaron Judge and Justin Verlander signed new deals, the Correa story has become the most memorable one of the offseason.

It seemed to have a straightforward ending when he agreed to a 13-year, $350 million deal with the San Francisco Giants, but that fell apart when the team grew concerned with an old leg injury after a physical examination.

The Mets jumped at the chance to add the star shortstop, agreeing to a 12-year, $315 million contract. However, that deal is in a holding pattern after similar concerns arose following a physical examination.

Given the events with the Giants and the demand Correa figures to draw as such an impact player, it would be understandable if fans assumed he won't sign with the Mets either. Yet Heyman listed a number of reasons that the shortstop will remain in New York, including a desire for both the player and team owner Steve Cohen to make it happen.

What's more, Scott Boras, who is Correa's agent, has "grown close" with Cohen while negotiating deals for Max Scherzer and Brandon Nimmo, and ending this potential pairing could jeopardize that relationship.

"A few teams have been calling, but even a week after the Mets agreement, they are being told it's only a Mets game—for now," Heyman wrote.

While Correa has dealt with injury concerns in the past and appeared in just 75 games in 2019 after playing 109 in 2017 and 110 in 2018, he has been fairly durable of late. He missed just two games during the shortened 2020 campaign, appeared in 148 in 2021 and played 136 in 2022.

Whichever team ends up with him will land a player with a World Series crown, Gold Glove, Platinum Glove and two All-Star selections on his resume. He can impact the game with his bat and glove and is just 28 years old.

It seems like he will be in the middle of the Mets' lineup in 2023, but the process still hasn't fully played out.

The San Francisco Giants were involved in the most shocking offseason turn of events this week when they held up their deal with star shortstop Carlos Correa over a medical concern, opening the door for him to sign with the New York Mets.

On Thursday, ESPN's Jeff Passan shed light on the thought process behind San Francisco's hesitation, revealing the team had concerns over Correa's lower right leg following his physical examination. The 28-year-old had broken his fibula in 2014 on a slide during a minor league game, which led to surgery.

Passan noted that the Giants' fear "concerned the long-term stability of his leg—and the potential for Correa to quickly lose the mobility that won him a Platinum Glove in 2021."

The assertion likely came as a shock to Correa, who had agreed to a 13-year, $350 million deal on Dec. 13. Per Passan, his surgically repaired leg was an injury he "hadn't thought about in years, and suddenly it was putting in jeopardy the fourth-largest guaranteed contract in North American sports history."

Correa's agent, Scott Boras, dismissed the notion that an injury from eight years ago could affect his client down the line, pointing out that Correa received a 10-year contract offer from the Minnesota Twins, with whom he played the 2022 season.

"If a team familiar with his medical history was willing to offer Correa a decade-long contract, [Boras'] reasoning went, how bad could the injury really be?" Passan wrote.

The Mets swooped in and signed Correa to a 12-year, $315 million contract. It was another heartbreaker for San Francisco this offseason after its failed pursuit of American League MVP Aaron Judge, who re-signed with the New York Yankees.

The Giants are hoping to bounce back from a disappointing 2022 season in which they finished with an 81-81 record and failed to make the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six years.

Carlos Correa will have to learn a new position with the New York Mets, but the two-time All-Star's agent has no concerns about his ability to thrive.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Scott Boras said Correa thinks he can "seize" third base and that he will be able to "get a little bit stronger."

News of Correa's deal with the Mets sent shock waves throughout the baseball world. The 28-year-old originally agreed to a 13-year, $350 million contract with the San Francisco Giants on Dec. 13.

The Giants scheduled a press conference for Tuesday to officially announce the contract, but it was postponed shortly before the 2 p.m. ET start time because of concerns over Correa's physical.

The Mets acted quickly to give Correa a deal that isn't far off what he would have received from the Giants. He agreed to a 12-year, $315 million contract in the early morning hours Wednesday, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area, the issue involved an ankle injury Correa suffered in the minors during the 2014 season that required surgery to repair a fractured right fibula and a ligament.

Adding Correa to the Mets roster meant a position change because Francisco Lindor is entrenched as the shortstop.

This will be the second time Correa and Lindor will have been teammates. They were on the Puerto Rican team that finished second in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Lindor was the starting shortstop, with Correa handling third base.

As Boras alluded to, moving to the hot corner could help Correa's offensive game. He can add muscle because he doesn't have to be as fast at third base as he does at shortstop.

A more potent offensive version of Correa is a dangerous proposition for the rest of the National League. He is a .279/.357/.479 career hitter and has hit at least 20 homers in six of his eight seasons.

In addition to Correa, New York brought in Justin Verlander, José Quintana, Kodai Senga, Adam Ottavino and David Robertson and re-signed Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Díaz.

The Mets are looking for a stronger finish next season after their 101-win 2022 campaign ended with a loss to the San Diego Padres in the National League Wild Card Series.

The offseason of Steve Cohen continued with a stunning turn of events Wednesday when Carlos Correa agreed to a deal with the New York Mets.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Correa hammered out a 12-year, $315 million contract with the Mets after his pact with the San Francisco Giants fell through.

Correa and the Giants were set to announce his 13-year, $350 million deal Tuesday, but Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reported the team postponed the press conference less than three hours before its 11 a.m. local time start.

Per Ronald Blum of the Associated Press, the Giants postponed the press conference because of a "medical concern" that arose from Correa's physical.

Heyman noted Correa will play third base, as Francisco Lindor is entrenched as the Mets' starting shortstop.

There were rumblings that Cohen was trying to get in on Correa before he agreed to a deal with the Giants.

Speaking to Heyman on Dec. 17, the Mets owner said he was told by Correa's agent, Scott Boras, they were "already down the road" with San Francisco by the time the Mets tried to get in on the two-time All-Star.

"We thought maybe he might fall to us," Cohen said.

After the Mets stole Correa from San Francisco, Cohen told Heyman he thought the team needed "one more thing" to help it win a World Series.

"This was important … This puts us over the top," he said. "This is a good team. I hope it's a good team!"

While it's not unheard of for an agreement to fall through because of a medical concern, the Mets' swooping in to get Correa at the eleventh hour speaks to how committed Cohen is in his attempt to bring a championship to Queens.

Assuming Correa's deal gets finalized, the Mets will come out of this offseason with arguably the best position player and starting pitcher (Justin Verlander) on the free-agent market. They also added Japanese star Kodai Senga and re-signed Edwin Diaz and Brandon Nimmo.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Mets are projected to pay a total of $495 million between payroll ($384 million) and luxury-tax payments ($111) in 2023.

The 2015 Los Angeles Dodgers previously held the record for highest payroll in MLB history at $291 million.

Adding Correa to a lineup that includes Lindor, Nimmo, Pete Alonso, Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar and Jeff McNeil has the potential to give the Mets the best offense in MLB.

Carlos Correa's introductory press conference with the San Francisco Giants was postponed after a "medical concern arose" regarding his physical, according to a report from Ronald Blum of the Associated Press.

Per Blum, "One person confirmed that Tuesday's conference to welcome Correa was put on hold because the sides were awaiting the results of testing. A second person said that a medical issue was flagged during Correa's physical."

Correa, 28, signed a massive 13-year, $350 million contract with the Giants on Dec. 13, one of the biggest moves of the MLB offseason.

He was one of many prominent players to take advantage of free agency; Trea Turner joined the Philadelphia Phillies, Justin Verlander signed with the New York Mets, Xander Bogaerts went to the San Diego Padres and Jacob deGrom inked with the Texas Rangers.

While Correa's talent is unmistakable, injuries have been an issue throughout his career, as he's only played 150 or more games in a regular season once. The fact that the press conference that was set for 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday was canceled will only add greater concern to the proceedings.

When healthy, Correa has been excellent throughout his career. The two-time All-Star, one-time champion and 2015 AL Rookie of the Year hit .291 with 22 homers, 64 RBI, 70 runs and a .834 OPS across 136 games in his lone season with the Minnesota Twins last year. He spent the first seven years of his career with the Houston Astros.

For San Francisco, Correa was just about the best consolation prize imaginable after failing to lure Aaron Judge away from the New York Yankees, who grew up as a fan of the Giants. Judge chose to remain in the Big Apple on a massive nine-year, $360 million deal.

But the Giants, looking to bolster their lineup, appeared to have locked down Correa, signed slugger Mitch Haniger and retained Joc Pederson. Now, the Correa addition is in some question.

The Minnesota Twins won big in free agency on Friday with the official signing of coveted catcher Christian Vázquez. They also reached an agreement with outfielder Joey Gallo.

Vázquez, who is fresh off his second World Series win, reached a three-year agreement with Minnesota earlier in the week.

Gallo is joining on a one-year deal, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Minnesota's new additions come in shortly after former Twins shortstop Carlos Correa agreed to join the San Francisco Giants.

According to The Athletic's Dan Hayes, Minnesota offered more in annual salary, but it wasn't enough for a franchise that hasn't won a playoff series since 2002.

What's next for the Twins as they look to return to contention in the American League? According to Hayes, Minnesota may turn to the trade market—with Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda and Luis Arraez drawing interest.

Per Hayes, Arraez is a player Minnesota would "consider dealing as part of a package for a prominent pitcher."

If Arraez is available, the New York Mets would be wise to make a run at him.

The Mets—who are loaded in the pitching rotation after adding Koudai Senga to a group that also includes Jose Quintana, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander—are reportedly looking to move a pitcher of their own.

"The Mets are listening to trade offers on Carlos Carrasco," Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote. "They believe the rise in free-agent prices, notably for starting pitchers, will make Carrasco an appealing piece at one year and $14 million for all of those shut out of the pricey market. Think teams such as the Twins, Royals and probably at least five or six more."

Would a package that includes Carrasco interest the Twins? That's debatable. Like Gray and Maeda, Carrasco is set to be a free agent next year, and the 35-year-old probably isn't considered a "prominent" pitcher.

However, Carrasco is a solid starter who went 15-7 last season. If the Twins believe they're building a strong playoff team, they could be interested. Carrasco's $14 million salary for 2023 is reasonable.

New York would undoubtedly have to include more in a trade offer for Arráez, who is under team control through 2025. but it's absolutely worth an exploratory inquiry. Arráez, the reigning AL batting champion, would be an ideal fit for the Mets.

New York favors an offense that plays for contact rather than power. The Mets ranked second in batting average last season (.259) but only 15th in home runs (171). Adding a combination of power and efficiency to the lineup would be ideal, which may be part of the reason why the Mets were also interested in Correa before he joined the Giants.

According to Hayes, Andy McCullough and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Mets' plan was to play Correa at third base.

Arraez, a utility infielder, could slot right in at third, and while he might not possess the power of Correa (only eight home runs in 2022 versus 22), he'd still provide a huge offensive boost.

En route to the batting title, Arraez hit .316 with 49 RBI. He was more efficient than Correa in both BA and on-base percentage (.375 versus .366).

Of course, the question isn't whether Arraez would be right for the Mets, it's whether they could possibly pry him from Minnesota. Carrasco could start the conversation.

According to Hayes, McCullough and Rosenthal, catcher James McCann and third baseman Eduardo Escobar could also be made available, and possibly others: "The Mets may also have to explore interest in top prospects like Brett Baty and Mark Vientos."

The Mets owe it to themselves to find out exactly what Arraez would cost. Franchise owner Steve Cohen has shown that he's unafraid to spend big on win-now moves, and adding Arraez is exactly the sort of deal that could help bring New York its first playoff series win since 2016.

The San Diego Padres denied rumors of a potential Fernando Tatis Jr. trade, saying it was "total BS" that the New York Yankees were calling about the shortstop, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Thursday.

ESPN's Buster Olney began the speculation Dec. 9 when he said on 95.7 The Game that the Yankees were "working on something big," apparently in reference to free-agent shortstop Carlos Correa.

On Monday, WFAN's Tiki and Tierney brought up the idea of Tatis joining the Yankees in a trade.

Last week, San Diego added another big-time shortstop in Xander Boegarts on an 11-year, $280 million deal, fueling the buzz that Tatis could be on his way out. The Padres, however, reportedly plan to keep the 2021 National League All-Star on their roster.

Jack Curry of YES Network also reported a Tatis trade was not ever considered by the Yankees:

The Yankees would certainly love to add someone of Tatis' ability as they try to get over the top as a World Series contender.

Tatis finished in the top five of NL MVP voting in 2020 and 2021 and earned a Silver Slugger Award both years. In 2021, he led the NL with 42 home runs to go with 25 stolen bases and a .975 OPS.

He would be a significant upgrade over Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who hit four home runs with a .642 OPS last season.

Even with his talent, San Diego could look to move on from Tatis after he missed 2022. The 23-year-old suffered a broken wrist in the offseason and then was suspended 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Several teammates voiced their displeasure with Tatis following the suspension.

The addition of Bogaerts could give the team a replacement at the position if it deals Tatis.

However, it seems the Padres want to stick with the young star and build a lasting contender.