Sep 20, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (4) reacts while running off the field during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
One rival pitcher has definitely not forgotten what Carlos Correa was a part of six years ago.
Correa and the Minnesota Twins lost on Wednesday to the Chicago White Sox by a 6-4 final. White Sox reliever Keynan Middleton picked up the save and struck out Correa in the ninth inning to end the game.
Speaking with reporters afterwards, Middleton threw some shade at Correa for his involvement in the notorious 2017 Houston Astros cheating scandal.
“I knew I was going to face Correa, and I don’t like him,” said Middleton of the matchup, per ESPN. “So it was kind of cool [to strike him out]. I like that. I enjoyed that a lot … I mean, he’s a cheater.”
Correa responded to Middleton’s dig prior to Thursday’s game between the two teams and didn’t seem too bothered.
“I’ve heard worse. I am just glad he’s doing good and he’s playing good and he can take care of his family,” Correa said of Middleton, per Yahoo! Sports. “Obviously, he’s tough. He’s getting better and that’s why he’s pitching high-leverage situations for them.”
Middleton had played the first few years of his career (including the 2017 season) with the Los Angeles Angels, Houston’s AL West division rivals. But after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2018, Middleton had only made a handful of appearances for different teams, not really getting much of a shot at revenge on Correa and the Astros. That opportunity against Correa finally came on Wednesday though, and Middleton delivered.
Houston faced significant sanctions from MLB over the 2017 sign-stealing scandal, including a $5 million fine and the eventual firings of both manager AJ Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow. But no active players ended up punished for their respective roles in the scheme. That is why Correa, who left the Astros in 2022, and many of his other ex-teammates still get grief over the scandal.
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