UTK Flash 12/20/22
Correa Fails Physical
“Fails” is a bit of a harsh term, but there was enough of a concern during Carlos Correa’s physical that the Giants and Correa postponed their press conference while they conferred about the results and possible changes to the huge and long contract.
How you look at Correa’s durability depends on which way you look at things. He’s played in 90 percent of his team’s games over that time, but he’s been on the IL ten times with various injuries. Last season, he missed time with a bruised finger, but that was it. He’s had rib issues, minor back issues, oblique issues, and plantar fasciitis, but none of these have been lingering or reduced his production when he’s on the field. He tends to heal right at the average, and has had good medical care throughout his career. As a Scott Boras client, he has access to the best physical coaches and doctors available.
So what could this physical issue have been? My guess is that it’s the back. Any issue that might make long term concerns is going to be amplified on a 13-year deal. Insurance isn’t going to go that long, even if the Giants decide to pay for it. At best, it’s renewable and with back issues in the past, it’s something that could be excluded. If there’s an issue, even minor, the Giants will want some protection from this.
The worst case here would be something like Prince Fielder, where a spinal condition forced him out in the prime of his career and leaving the Rangers on the hook for some big guaranteed dollars. That’s rare and unlikely. It’s more likely there’s some minor stenosis or signal in the lower back that’s going to take more tests or a visit to a specialist. Paging Dr. Watkins?
There’s very little chance this deal doesn’t get done, though it would be intriguing to see how quickly another team might jump in if they think there’s value. My guess mirrors the suggestion of an agent I spoke with, who thinks some of the back end years will be vesting options that come in with an at-bat threshold. We should know more on this in the next 24 hours, I’m told, and I’ll update this as necessary.
Update: Susan Slusser adds this —
Update: In a stunning development, Correa has signed a new, 12-year deal with the New York Mets.
I am told by a trusted source that there was a disagreement about the severity of a medical issue and that Correa was not willing to accept changes to the agreed deal. Whether this was the “big thing” that the Mets were working on last week is unclear, as is what the actual medical issue was/is. None of the reports have Correa’s Mets deal as finalized, so I assume they know of this medical issue and are comfortable with it, even ahead of a physical.
A lot of people knocked me for waiting for Clayton Kershaw’s deal with the Dodgers to be finalized, but this kind of thing is why. Medical issues can and do happen unexpectedly and these physicals can come with surprises. This may be the biggest one in baseball history and I wonder if this will go down as baseball’s Drew Brees deal.