On the day of Carlos Correa’s physical with the Mets, his agent, Scott Boras, shared new details with reporters about what Correa and his family went through as his agreement with the Giants fell through.
Correa, 28, had agreed to terms with the Giants and was prepared to appear at Oracle Park for an introductory press conference Tuesday morning. But the team called off the event because of a disagreement of Correa’s medical record.
Boras said Correa was in town and ready for the event, staying in a San Francisco hotel with his wife, brother, parents and parents-in-law.
“It was certainly a rollercoaster for the Correa family,” Boras told reporters.
When Boras got word from the Giants that they’d postponed the press conference, he said he called Correa into his room.
“He was obviously surprised,” Boras said. “As we all were, frankly. Very surprised.”
Boras said that the Giants were trying to use a “crystal ball” to predict how Correa would hold up over the course of the previously agreed upon 13-year, $350 million deal. He insisted that Correa is healthy and added he’s not sure what exactly the Giants were concerned about. It’s been reported that Correa’s ankle and leg injury from 2014, when he was a 19-year-old prospect, rose alarm bells.
After that injury, Correa won Rookie of the Year in 2015, made two All-Star teams, a platinum glove award and won a World Series. He dealt with back issues at times, but has appeared in 89% of his games in the past three seasons.
But whatever the Giants saw was enough to nuke the deal. In a statement, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said: “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.”
When asked if he believed the Giants got cold feet with Correa, Boras told reporters he didn’t want to speculate.
It took Boras less than 12 hours to negotiate a new deal with the Mets and owner Steve Cohen. He said that he told Cohen “Welcome to Correa-mes” when Correa became re-available as a free agent.
Boras’ comments came right after one of his clients, former Giant Carlos Rodón, held his introductory press conference for the Yankees. Rodón signed a six-year, $162 million contract to join the Yankees.
“I’ve always wanted more,” Rodón said. “Winning has been at the top of my list as a player. As we know, it’s the Yankee way.”