Baseball Fans Are Asking Why Carlos Correa Left the Astros Amid Minnesota Twins Trade

Baseball fans are asking why the 2015 MLB Rookie of the Year, Carlos Correa, left the Houston Astros as he returns to the team for the current season. Carlos was traded in a last-minute move from the Minnesota Twins. Carlos reportedly had a no-trade clause in his contract, but he told the team he'd waive it to return to Houston.

According to KPRC 2 News, the trade happened mere hours before the MLB trade deadline, and the Minnesota Twins traded the shortstop for Matt Mikulski. The Minnesota Twins will pay out $33 million of Correa's more than $100 million contract that he is owed in the deal. Carlos began his professional career with the Houston Astros, leaving fans to wonder why he felt the team in the first place amid his return.

Carlos Correa left the Houston Astros in 2022 because he was offered a $105.3 million, three-year contract with the Minnesota Twins, which made him one of the highest-paid MLB players. The offer was extended to six years and $200 million in 2023.

The former Minnesota Twins shortstop will play third base for the Houston Astros upon his return. "It’s going to be electric,” said Carlos of his return to Houston. “It’s going to be a lot of fun, and I cannot wait to get started with the guys again. I’m coming home, and there’s only one goal in mind, and that’s to win championships."

Carlos was the No. 1 overall pick in the Houston Astros MLB Draft in 2012, and in 2015, he won the AL Rookie of the Year Award. Carlos reportedly told the Minnesota Twins that the only team he would allow a trade to would be his former team in Texas.

“I’ve been wanting to play third base for the past couple of years, but it wasn’t happening in Minnesota,” he said. “We were waiting for a shortstop to come in, and now that I get to play third base, it would be great for me at this stage of my career.”

"Very happy that I get to come back home and join the team that everything started with,” he added. “Also, my parents live there, and they’ll be closer to the kids now, and will be able to see them every day. I had some conversations with the front office in Minnesota, and we were not moving in the direction that I thought we were after the playoffs, and they agreed with me that it was time to move me. I let them know there was only one team I would allow that to happen.”

Astros general manager Dana Brown said the team "felt good" about the trade.

"Adding this caliber of a player is going to be a cost, but on our end, we felt good about what this whole thing was going to play out to be,” he said. "At the end of the day, we feel like this is going to be a good situation for us and the Astros."

According to MLB.com, Carlos said he would be returning in time for the team's game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Aug. 1.