MLB

Giants, Mets Brought Carlos Correa Concerns to Same Doctor, Scott Boras Groans

Correa ended up returning to the Minnesota Twins after two deals elsewhere fell through

Boras frustrated Giants, Mets consulted same doc about Correa originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

Now that Carlos Correa has signed with the Minnesota Twins, details of the superstar's befuddling free-agency saga are coming to light.

And his agent, Scott Boras, isn't over the moon about how everything went down.

Before the Giants and New York Mets pulled the plug on their respective decade-plus Correa deals, the two teams brought concerns about the shortstop's surgically-repaired right ankle to the same doctor, Boras revealed Wednesday.

The agent described the overall experience with both teams as "frustrating" (h/t Betsy Helfand, Pioneer Press).

"Ironically, the same expert in San Francisco, which allowed the Mets to negotiate -- guess who the Mets called because their doctor was a surgeon?" Boras said. "Guess who the Mets called for an opinion about Carlos' ankle? The very doctor that the Giants had called. So consequently, two teams, same doctor and yet the owner of the Mets didn't know that. You have to have individual opinions.

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"How about [Twins medical director Dr. Chris Camp]? How about three or four other doctors ... [sports medicine specialist Dr. Neal ElAttrache]? How about them? They have an independent [opinion], separate and apart from this doctor that they don't agree with, but the teams would not -- they would not accept those judgments, and here we go."

Correa said Wednesday he was shocked when both San Francisco and New York brought up concerns about his ankle, which he injured in 2014 as a minor leaguer sliding into third base. He revealed he took three physicals in 2022 -- a full physical with Dr. ElAttrache, a Twins physical before signing his last contract with the team and an exit physical with Dr. Camp again after the season, all of which he said produced a clean bill of health.

Boras believes there was a disconnect between doctors like Dr. ElAttrache and Dr. Camp, who he argued have seen and documented Correa's on-field mobility firsthand, versus a specialist looking at an MRI. When the Giants first brought up their concerns, the agent consulted four expert orthopedists for the opinions on Correa's ankle.

"They looked at this and said, 'No, this player has been functional for eight years,' " Boras said. "As to how long he will continue to be able to play is an absolute medical uncertainty, absolute. There's nothing, nobody that can say, and they all admit it one way or another -- they all admit it, but they all say that there's a risk tolerance that they have.

"... [Correa's] response to [his ankle surgery] has been chronicled over nine seasons in the major leagues. And so the practicing orthopedists say that's the best evidence, that he is functional and has no pain, and they check his mobility. There has been no clinical treatment, no MRIs, no anything on this player ever regarding his right ankle, ever ... he's never even had a rolled ankle never had any treatment whatsoever, which was a near impossible record to have when you're playing at shortstop level and at the major leagues.

"And so this is why this was so frustrating."

In the end, it was the uncertainty Boras mentioned that ultimately led the Giants and Mets to rethink signing Correa to a long-term deal.

But the Twins, who saw Correa's abilities daily last season, bet on that uncertainty by signing Correa to a six-year, $200 million contract in hopes the All-Star infielder helps them return to the MLB playoffs.

As for the Giants and Mets, it will be some time before they know for sure that they made the right decision.

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