The New York Mets gave up on the idea of offering $315 million to Carlos Correa when they found out about an old ankle injury that may be problematic later down the road.
They still tried to sign him, but under much different terms.
In the end, the player found a better offer elsewhere.
It’s part of baseball: the Mets aren’t going to sign every major free agent available as much as they try to convince you to the contrary.
All kidding aside, while many fans are disappointed that they won’t get to fill third base with such a talented player, the reality is that the team is still in excellent shape heading into the 2023 campaign.
A Mets reporter offered his take regarding the situation, and hopefully it brings some peace of mind to fans.
“I’m surprised the Correa deal fell apart, although the longer it dragged on, the more shaky it became. I know Mets fans are disappointed, but it’s still been a fantastic winter for the team. And if we know anything now, it’s that the Cohens will look to upgrade whenever possible,” Mets field reporter Steve Gelbs tweeted.
I'm surprised the Correa deal fell apart, although the longer it dragged on, the more shaky it became. I know Mets fans are disappointed, but it's still been a fantastic winter for the team. And if we know anything now, it's that the Cohens will look to upgrade whenever possible.
— Steve Gelbs (@SteveGelbs) January 10, 2023
Gelbs said several interesting things.
It’s true that the longer the saga dragged, the harder it would be for the Mets to sign him because other teams would get back into things, which is what happened.
But it’s also true that the offseason has been A+ even without Correa.
The Mets re-signed Edwin Diaz, Adam Ottavino and Brandon Nimmo while adding Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga, Brooks Raley, Jose Quintana, and Omar Narvaez.
Those players will join (or rejoin, depending on the case) a foundation that already had Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Starling Marte, Mark Canha, Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, Eduardo Escobar, Max Scherzer, David Peterson, and other top players.
Every major player they lost during the winter, they replaced him with a similar or better option.
Correa as the third baseman would have been the icing on the cake, but the Mets are set as it is.
They are probably going to challenge for the World Series title.
NEXT: Mets Release Statement After Correa Deal Falls Through