Carlos Correa trade confirms the Twins won’t be a threat to Guardians any time soon

The MLB trade deadline always brings about some surprises, and this year is no exception thanks to the Minnesota Twins. Earlier today, the Twins traded Carlos Correa to the Houston Astros in one of the more astounding trades in recent memory. 

While the trade confirms the Astros are back to being a true contender in the American League, it also confirms that the Twins won’t be standing in the Guardians’ way any time soon. 

Carlos Correa trade confirms the Twins won’t be a threat to Guardians any time soon

While the Twins are technically still in the postseason hunt (5 1/2 games back in the Wild Card race), they started their sell-off earlier this week when they traded Randy Dobnak and Chris Paddack to the Detroit Tigers in a salary dump. 

But trading Correa is in a whole different category. Correa’s still owed $96 million on the six year, $200 million contract he signed with Minnesota before the 2023 season, which was a tangible example of the Twins’ plans to kick their contention window open. 

Two-and-a-half years later, that window has slammed shut after a busy 24 hours that saw them trade Correa along with closer Johan Duran, outfielder Harrison Bader and reliever Brock Stewart. 

All of this should be news to the Guardians’ ears. While Cleveland dipped into his MLB talent with trades of Paul Sewald and Shane Bieber, neither of those players have done much on the major league level for the Guardians this year. Meanwhile, the Twins traded away most of the key parts of their core. 

According to The Athletic's Chandler Rome, the Astros are only going to get one prospect in the trade, meaning it was almost purely a salary dump.

Correa’s time in Minnesota will always be a case of “what if,” as he had one All-Star year (2024) sandwiched around two years where he finished with an OPS+ under 100. Correa did shine for them in the American League Wild Card Series in 2023, but that will stand out as the only postseason appearance during his time in the land of 1,000 lakes. 

Correa will now join an Astros roster that added third baseman Ramón Urías and outfielder Jesús Sánchez. Correa will play third base in the place of the injured Isaac Paredes, while Urías and Sánchez will fill other holes on their roster. 

The Astros may be better, but that’s less of a pressing issue for the Guardians. Two years ago they lost out on the American League Central crown to the Twins. Now Minnesota only has two players under contract for next season. 

And it’s not like the Tigers set the world on fire either. They added a bunch of relievers (Sewald among them), but, as of now, it’s largely the same roster that has struggled as of late. 

The Cleveland Guardians still have some work to do to build a sustainable winner after Emmanuel Clase’s suspension, but it looks like the Twins won’t be in their way.