White Sox' Keynan Middleton: I Enjoyed Striking out 'Cheater' Carlos Correa for Save

Kenyan Middleton was thinking about more than just the game when he struck out Carlos Correa to end the Chicago White Sox's 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday.

"I knew I was going to face Correa, and I don't like him. So it was kind of cool," he told reporters. "I like that. I enjoyed that a lot. ... I mean, he's a cheater."

The right-hander was referencing the Astros' sign-stealing scandal in which Major League Baseball fined the American League West team $5 million, stripped it of its first- and second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021, and suspended then-general manager Jeff Luhnow and then-manager AJ Hinch for one year.

Houston eventually fired Luhnow and Hinch in the aftermath of the penalties.

Correa was on the Astros when they were found to have used a system to steal opposing teams' signs as they went on to win the 2017 World Series and reach the American League Championship Series in 2018. No players were punished for their actions.

Middleton was plenty familiar with those teams considering he pitched in the AL West from 2017 through 2021 for the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners.

While Middleton may not have liked the Astros, he has solid numbers against them throughout his career with a 3.38 ERA, 1.71 WHIP and 20 strikeouts in 18.2 innings.

The 29-year-old earned his first save since the 2021 season and continued his excellent start to 2023. He has a 2.89 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 17 strikeouts in 9.1 innings as a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing start for the 10-21 White Sox. He struck out the side in the final frame with the Correa one standing out because he represented the tying run.

Correa is off to a rough start for the Twins with a .206/.287/.363 slash line, three home runs and 12 RBI.

Middleton was clearly pleased to play a part in those early struggles.