Twins shortstop Carlos Correa takes high road in response to Keynan Middleton's 'cheater' jibe: "I've heard worse"
Following the Chicago White Sox's 6-4 win over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, pitcher Keynan Middleton called Carlos Correa a cheater in reference to the Astros' sign stealing scandal of 2018.
The two players have faced each other over the years in the AL West, and the former Angels pitcher seems to have carried the rivalry with him. However, the former Astros shortstop refused to take the bait, choosing to take the high road instead.
Before the start of the series finale between the two teams and less than 24 hours after the pitcher's jibe, Correa said in an interview:
“I’ve heard worse,” Correa told reporters. “I’m just glad he’s doing good, and he’s playing good, and he can take care of his family."
Carlos Correa took the high road in response to a postgame dig about his former team's sign-stealing scandal.
“I’ve heard worse,” Correa said Thursday about White Sox reliever Keynan Middleton calling him a cheater.
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"I knew I was gonna face Correa and I don't like him. I enjoyed that a lot."
- Keynan Middleton on striking out Carlos Correa to end the game
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Carlos Correa started his MLB career with the Houston Astros in 2015 and played seven years for them.
During that period, he was named an All-Star twice and won the World Series title in 2017. The Astros, though, were entangled in a sign stealing scandal that year, as a result of which many believe that their title is invalid, as they won by cheating. While none of the players were penalized, many players who were intrumental to the win still carry a target for people to take aim at.
Former Los Angeles Angels pitch Keynan Middleton seems to have done just that, calling Correa a "cheater" after strinking him out to seal the win for the White Sox. Middleton clarified that he has disliked the shortstop since their AL West days and is always looking forward to playing against him.
Correa, though, seemed unwilling to raise tensions and decided to take the high road in his response to the comment.
Carlos Correa focused on winning with Twins instead of personal rivalries
While the Minnesota Twins may have lost the series against the Chicago White Sox, they are still atop the AL Central and eight wins ahead of the White Sox.
Carlos Correa's response to the pitcher's attempt to rile him up shows his maturity as well as his dedication to the team. The Twins are on a good run of form and the players are focused on the task at hand: to qualify for the MLB postseason.
With that in mind, Correa's reponse is commendable and an example of how much the player has matured since his younger days.