The New York Yankees unknowingly aided the Minnesota Twins in signing Carlos Correa, thanks to a trade earlier in the week.
The Yankees trade with the Twins — which netted them Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ben Rortvedt — also came with a price tag. The Yankees took on the remainder of Donaldson’s contract, which came out to over $40 million.
With that money, the Twins reversed course rather than opting for a rebuild. Minnesota traded for Sonny Gray, among others, and signed Carlos Correa on Friday night.
The move to sign Correa was a surprising one, as it made the former Astros shortstop the richest infielder in all of baseball. Yet, it’s a contract the Twins could afford short-term because they shipped Donaldson’s fat contract elsewhere.
Wait so the Twins moved 50 million off the books by trading Josh Donaldson to the Yankees then turned around and signed Carlos Correa at 105 over three?
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) March 19, 2022
Correa, who had been a New York target earlier in the offseason, signed a three-year deal worth $105.3 million, with two opt-outs. He could theoretically leave after just one season, but isn’t a year with Correa better than the alternative? This is especially true considering the luxury tax relief they just received.
Carlos Correa signs with Twins: Yankees trolled in aftermath
Given their aid in helping Correa sign with Minnesota, it’s not surprising that fans around baseball took to social media to troll New York after such a move.
Trolling the Yankees is as much of a pastime as baseball itself.
This is so spectacular. I really never thought we’d see the day. The Streinbrenner boys are the Wilpons. The Yankees fans are the Mets fans. Finkle is Einhorn. It’s amazing truly. https://t.co/ncwPicUKTC
— KFC (@KFCBarstool) March 19, 2022
https://twitter.com/GarysheffieldJr/status/1505061314636369920
Fell down a Yankees Twitter rabbit hole, they are not happy
— Eric Ehler (@ToppsTwinsCards) March 19, 2022
Freeman and Correa, two great players, have come off the board without the Yankees taking a legit shot. In the end, the money they spend will likely be markedly less than what the Mets spend.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) March 19, 2022
When you realize the Yankees assisted the Twins in getting Correa pic.twitter.com/uKo28D9a21
— DΛVΣ (мя.тωιттєя) (@DoyersDave) March 19, 2022
Let’s take a moment to acknowledge that Yankee fans desperately wanted Carlos Correa, but instead the Yankees made a trade that provided the Twins with the salary relief that they needed to sign Carlos Correa. God bless.
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) March 19, 2022
So the Twins got the Yankees to take every single penny of their most expensive contract so they could turn around and sign Carlos Correa….*Chef’s kiss* pic.twitter.com/ps3Fp8hLio
— Josh Hill (@jdavhill) March 19, 2022
The fuckin yankees FREED MONEY FOR THE TWINS TO GET THE PLAYER THE YANKEES SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN! WHILE GIVIN THEM A CATCHER AND A 3B LMAOOOOO
— JoezMcfly🇩🇴 (@JoezMcfLy) March 19, 2022
The Yankees looking at Correa signing with the Twins after they took the Donaldson contract pic.twitter.com/0Fcarvhmlq
— ✭Salt✭ (@DrSalt_PhD) March 19, 2022
Can we appreciate how this man just absolutely finessed the Yankees pic.twitter.com/EaoZ4vOLvX
— Faith (@swimszns) March 19, 2022
The #Yankees needed a stop gap SS.
— Christian (@Christian_NYYST) March 19, 2022
They get one from the Twins and take $50M off their payroll.
This allows the Twins to sign Carlos Correa to a 3 year deal.
The exact thing the Yankees needed.
And someone will tell me today that Brian Cashman *shouldn’t* be fired.
The Twins to the Yankees pic.twitter.com/pkXuSRNqRe
— Sam (@sam_scherer99) March 19, 2022
As you can imagine, there were many more where that came from.
The Yankees got played, as did Brian Cashman. The sting won’t go away anytime soon.
Let’s just hope Anthony Volpe is exactly what the Yankees think he is.