The New York Mets have invested a lot of financial resources in their 2023 roster.
Not only have they retained key players such as Edwin Diaz and Brandon Nimmo, but they also brought in talented veterans like Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga, Jose Quintana, and David Robertson.
Surprisingly, they showed an interest in free agent shortstop Carlos Correa in recent days.
They opted against a real pursuit, however, and the infielder went to the San Francisco Giants for 13 years and $350 million.
Amid rumblings that the Mets were being used to drive up Correa’s price, reporters who cover the team confirmed they were indeed interested in the shortstop.
However, Andy Martino explained why they didn’t go forward in their quest to sign him.
“The reason Correa didn’t fit Steve Cohen’s spending spree was the need for a long-term contract. Mets went long with Nimmo because they had to in order to lock up a favorite. But overall the plan is shorter-term pricey veterans to bide time for player development to improve,” Martino tweeted.
The reason Correa didn’t fit Steve Cohen’s spending spree was the need for a long-term contract. Mets went long with Nimmo because they had to in order to lock up a favorite. But overall the plan is shorter-term pricey veterans to bide time for player development to improve.
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) December 14, 2022
The Mets Didn’t Want Correa On A Long-Term Deal
There you have it: a guy like Correa, whose position is covered by Francisco Lindor, doesn’t move the needle for the Mets to enter yet another long-term commitment.
There could be exceptions to the rule, though.
“Shohei Ohtani is such an attraction, however, that he might prove an exception next winter,” Martino clarified.
Ohtani is playing his last arbitration season with the Los Angeles Angels and is coming off a season with a 2.33 ERA and more than 200 strikeouts as a pitcher and 34 home runs as a hitter.
He could be baseball’s first $500 million man, and you can bet that the Mets will be right there, in the thick of things.
