What's next for Giants after losing Correa?

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants’ offseason took a nightmarish turn late Tuesday night.

Twelve hours after the team was scheduled to introduce Carlos Correa at Oracle Park, San Francisco learned that the star shortstop would instead be heading to the Mets, marking one of the most stunning turns of events in a free-agent saga in recent memory.

The Giants believed they had landed the next face of their franchise after agreeing to a 13-year, $350 million contract with Correa on Dec. 13, but the megadeal -- easily the biggest in club history -- fell apart due to a disagreement over the results of the two-time All-Star’s physical examination. In pounced the deep-pocketed Mets, who struck a 12-year, $315 million deal with Correa to continue their historic offseason spending spree under owner Steve Cohen.

It was a head-spinning development for the Giants, who issued the following statement from president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi on Wednesday: "While we are prohibited from disclosing confidential medical information, as [agent] Scott Boras stated publicly, there was a difference of opinion over the results of Carlos’ physical examination. We wish Carlos the best."

With Correa off the board, Brandon Crawford is likely to continue his 12-year run as the Giants’ everyday shortstop, injecting even more awkwardness into this unprecedented debacle. Crawford, San Francisco’s longest-tenured player, had been preparing to move off the only position he’s played in the Majors to accommodate Correa, but the roles will now likely be reversed. Correa is expected to play third base for the Mets, who already have a $341 million shortstop in Francisco Lindor.

It’s unclear what specific medical issue the Giants flagged during the 28-year-old Correa’s physical, but the nixed deal leaves them without the franchise star they’ve coveted since Buster Posey retired at the end of the 2021 season. They were aggressive in their pursuit of reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge before he decided to remain with the Yankees. Landing Correa seemed like a worthy consolation prize, but now the Giants appear in serious danger of heading to Spring Training without a true centerpiece who can narrow the talent gap with the Dodgers and the Padres in the National League West and spur them back to the playoffs following their underwhelming .500 finish in '22.

The Giants re-signed slugger Joc Pederson and added outfielder Mitch Haniger and starters Ross Stripling and Sean Manaea, but there aren’t many impact players left on the free-agent market at this point in the offseason. The top four shortstops -- Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, Dansby Swanson and Correa -- have found new homes. All-Star left-hander Carlos Rodón is teaming up with Judge on the Yankees. Two other rumored Giants targets, center fielder Brandon Nimmo and Japanese ace Kodai Senga, also preferred to head to New York, joining the Mets.

Outfielder Michael Conforto, catcher Gary Sánchez, right-hander Nathan Eovaldi and closer Craig Kimbrel are among the best remaining free-agent options, but none will be able to replace Correa or satisfy a fan base that had been clamoring for San Francisco to add more star power to its platoon-heavy roster.

So, where do the Giants go from here?

San Francisco could pivot to the trade market, but acquiring a marquee player such as Pirates All-Star outfielder Bryan Reynolds -- once a Giants prospect who was traded to Pittsburgh in exchange for Andrew McCutchen in 2018 -- would take a significant chunk out of a farm system that has struggled to consistently develop meaningful contributors in recent years.

Given their lack of top-end talent and the strength of their division, the Giants could consider taking a step back and directing their focus beyond 2023, especially with a crop of promising prospects -- led by shortstop Marco Luciano, left-hander Kyle Harrison, third baseman Casey Schmitt and outfielder Luis Matos -- expected to arrive in San Francisco in the near future.

Still, that path would be a hard pill to swallow for Giants fans, who fully expected the organization to flex its financial might and make a major splash this offseason. After whiffing on yet another high-profile free-agent pursuit, the Giants have no obvious place to turn, with no superstar left to guide their way forward.