Superstar Carlos Correa and the Mets worked out a middle-of-the-night deal after his Giants deal fell through, the New York Post has learned. Correa’s new deal with the Mets is for $315 million over 12 years, sources told The Post.
Something came up on Correa’s medical with the Giants, and Cohen stepped in to do the deal he thought had gotten away from him. Correa will play third base for the Mets, giving the Mets a star-studded team and Cohen a record payroll north of $380 million.
“We need one more thing, and this is it,” Cohen told The Post from Hawaii. “This was important … This puts us over the top. This is a good team. I hope it’s a good team!”
Correa’s Mets deal is pending a medical. Something arose on his medical with the Giants, which caused the 13-year, $350M deal with the Giants to fall apart. It was said only not to be a back issue, which had cropped up earlier in Correa’s career but hasn’t sidelined him in any of the last three seasons.
Cohen, who recently lamented falling short on Correa, worked out the deal from Hawaii, where he was, with Correa’s agent Scott Boras over what was said to be a four or five hour period following what Boras termed a “difference if opinion” over Correa’s Giants medical.
“This really makes a big difference,” Cohen said. “I felt like our pitching was in good shape. We needed one more hitter. This puts us over the top.”
It seems unreal the Mets were able to work out a deal in a few hours. But as Cohen explained, they just resumed the talks from Cohen’s last call a day before Correa and the Giants made their deal.
“We kind of picked up where we were before and it just worked out,” Cohen said.
Cohen’s Mets are into record territory in terms of payroll and tax. His tax will come to close to $100M now after a bonanza of a winter in which the Mets added Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga, Jose Quintana and David Robertson and brought back Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Diaz. But Cohen seems unfazed by the astounding outlay.
“What the heck’s the difference? If you’re going to make the move make the move,” Cohen said.
The Mets’ team is filled with stars now, including shortstop Francisco Lindor, slugger Pete Alonso and ace Max Scherzer plus all the huge moves Cohen and Co. have made this winter (Correa, Justin Verlander and Kodai Senga).
Said Cohen: “I hope the fans show up.”
