I read that people close to Mateo says (is a version, not confirmed) that what Mateo has in his right eye is myopia and because he is so young he is ineligible for Lasik. If that is true that is a sick way the Cardinals used to get rid of that 3.1 MM contract after bidding heavy for him against other teams.
It is easy to win the bidding process against teams like the Yankees, Boston, Giants, Kansas City, to then find a loophole in the system, order the team doctors not to sign the physical, void the contract and then offer Mateo a really discounted contract to make it look to Mateo's camp that he can cut his losses. All this is speculation in my part, but I am just thinking out loud.
El Deporte - Wagner Mateo est? ansioso por demostrar todo su talento