REPORT: Carlos Correa Signs 12-Year Contract with Mets, Forgoes Giants Deal

The New York Post's Jon Heyman is reporting that All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa has agreed to a 12-year, $315 million contract with the New York Mets. This comes just hours after Correa was supposed to be introduced to the media as the newest member of the San Francisco Giants, but an alleged medical concern postponed Tuesday's introductory press conference.

It appears Carlos Correa may not be playing for the San Francisco Giants after all.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman is reporting that Correa has agreed to a 12-year, $315 million contract with the New York Mets.

Breaking: Carlos Correa and the Mets have a deal. $315M, 12 years.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 21, 2022

This is a stunning revelation, as Correa was supposed to be introduced to the media as the newest member of the San Francisco Giants, but an alleged medical concern postponed Tuesday's introductory press conference. Earlier this winter, ESPN's Buster Olney reported that Major League executives were concerned about Correa's lower back.

Correa had reportedly agreed to a 13-year, $350 million contract with the Giants a little over a week ago.

Hours before the Giants agreed in principle to a deal with Correa, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Dan Hayes and Andy McCullough reported that the Mets had emerged as a potential landing spot for the two-time All-Star.

At the time of the report, the club's payroll was projected to sit around $350 million, before hitting the luxury tax penalties. With penalties, the club's payroll would be approximately $421 million, the largest payroll in baseball history. That was before adding Correa and Adam Ottavino, who the club re-signed Tuesday afternoon.

If Correa does in fact play for the Mets, he would likely play third base, similar to when the New York Yankees acquired Alex Rodriguez and Rodriguez moved to third, with Derek Jeter already manning short. The Mets have Francisco Lindor under contract through 2031. Correa and Lindor are both from the same native country of Puerto Rico.

It remains unclear what exactly transpired between Correa and the Giants. It was odd that his introductory press conference was suddenly postponed. Did Correa fail his physical, terminating his deal with the Giants? Did the Giants see something that concerned them, causing them to withdraw their offer? Or was there ever really a medical concern in the first place? We should be finding out very soon.

According to Heyman, Correa's team and the Giants had a difference of opinion on the physical, and Correa's agent Scott Boras worked out a deal with Mets owner Steve Cohen.

Correa’s camp and the Giants had a difference of opinion on the medical, and agent Scott Boras worked out a deal with Steve Cohen. “We needed one more thing. And this was it,” Cohen said.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 21, 2022

According to Heyman, Correa's deal with the Giants 'fell through', and while Cohen was vacationing in Hawaii, he was able to work out a late-night deal with Correa.

"We needed one more thing, and this was it," Cohen told Heyman.

Correa has played in 111 or more games just three times in his eight-year Major League career. He has landed on the Injured List seven times.

Correa joins a star-studded infield that includes Lindor, Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil. Correa's deal with the Mets is pending a medical.

With Correa in the fold, the Mets' 2023 payroll is expected to surpass $380 million, a Major League Baseball record. The club is coming off a 101-win season in which the Mets blew a 10.5-game lead over the Atlanta Braves to lose the National League East division title in the final days of the season. The Mets were eliminated from postseason contention after falling to the San Diego Padres in three games in the new, National League Wild Card Series.

Cohen has already signed free agents Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga, Jose Quintana and re-signed free agents Adam Ottavino, Edwin Diaz and Brandon Nimmo.

For more from Jack Vita, follow him on Twitter @JackVitaShow, and subscribe to his podcast, the Jack Vita Show, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and wherever podcasts are found.