Twins' Carlos Correa on Keynan Middleton's 'Cheater' Comment: 'I've Heard Worse'

Chicago White Sox reliever Keynan Middleton had strong words for Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa after the two teams faced off on Wednesday, a 6-4 White Sox win.

"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."

"I've heard worse," Correa said in response to those comments on Thursday.

Middleton struck out Correa to end Wednesday's game. The Twins' slugger had previously hit a pair of doubles in three at-bats against the reliever.

"I'm just glad he's doing good and playing good and he can take care of his family," Correa said of Middleton. "Obviously his stuff has gotten better. That's why he's pitching in high-leverage situations for them."

Correa, 28, was a member of the 2017 Houston Astros who won the World Series, but were later mired in scandal when an elaborate sign-stealing operation was uncovered by Major League Baseball.

The organization was ultimately fined $5 million, was forced to forfeit first- and second-round picks in both the 2020 and 2021 drafts and general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch were suspended for the 2020 campaign and subsequently fired by the team.

Because a number of players cooperated in the MLB investigation, however, none were punished and were granted immunity. But a number of people around baseball clearly haven't forgotten, including Middleton.

At this point, the players on that team have grown accustomed to the disdain.

"We're used to it,'' Astros third baseman Alex Bregman told reporters ahead of last season's World Series, in anticipation of hearing boos and jeers from Philadelphia fans. "We're all good. We're going to focus on playing baseball. We're in the World Series. This is what it's all about. I don't worry about any of the other stuff, I worry about playing baseball."

It appears Correa, now on the Twins, is taking the same approach.