Carlos Correa Returns To Astros In Huge Deadline Deal, As Dodgers, New York Teams Improve

Well, for what was expected to be a quiet Major League Baseball trade deadline thanks to the number of teams unsure of their postseason fates, it's been anything but.

Eugenio Suarez, who's been one of the best hitters in baseball since last year's All-Star break, returned to the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night after a huge power surge in Arizona. And in the theme of players returning to former organizations, the Minnesota Twins on Thursday sent shortstop Carlos Correa back to the Houston Astros in a stunning deadline deal.

Correa, whose best offensive season came in 2017 when he and the rest of the Astros lineup were cheating, has been wildly inconsistent during his three and a half seasons with the Twins. But the Astros are clearly hoping that a return to familiar surroundings in Houston could spark a resurgence. And at just 30 years old, Correa is far from the end of his career. He's also, however, owed a lot of money through the 2028 season. A lot of money. Still, the Astros, who play in one of the country's biggest markets can afford it.  

And in an effort to shore up an injury-riddled roster, they weren't done with trades there.

READ: San Diego Padres Make Incredibly Bizarre Trade For Star Reliever Mason Miller

Carlos Correa of the Minnesota Twins looks on against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on October 5, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Carlos Correa Headlines Flurry Of Last-Minute Trade Deadline Deals

The Astros, after acquiring Correa to replace injured third baseman Isaac Parades, also traded for Jesus Sanchez from the Miami Marlins to shore up their thin outfield depth. 

Sanchez has been worth 1.1 wins above replacement this season, and has been a slightly above-average player on offense in each of the past three seasons. He's also under team control through the 2028 season. Sanchez provides an immediate upgrade over outfield options like Chas McCormick, Cooper Hummel, or Taylor Trammell. The Astros have been one of baseball's most surprising teams thus far, and they improved as much or more than anyone at the deadline in pursuit of another championship. 

Other very active teams included the San Diego Padres, who followed up a very confusing trade of top shortstop prospect Leo De Vries for reliever Mason Miller by making…another confusing trade. The Padres, who have the worst catching tandem in baseball with Elias Diaz and Martin Maldonado, acquired Freddie Fermin from the Kansas City Royals for two members of their current starting rotation, Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek. Fermin, while likely a defensive upgrade over Diaz, has been a below-average offensive player each of the last two seasons. Bergert and Kolek, while hardly expected to be rotation stalwarts, had been useful options for San Diego, and provided cheap, team-controlled production for an organization pushing against its budget.

The Padres weren't done there, as always, acquiring Ryan O'Hearn and Ramon Laureano from the Baltimore Orioles to help fix their problems in left field and at designated hitter. O'Hearn is having the best season of his career, with a 134 weighted runs created plus, and a .283/.374/.463 batting line. While a rental, he immediately slots into San Diego's DH spot and improves a lineup that's struggled mightily to create runs.

Laureano has been even better, with 15 home runs, a 144 wRC+, and a .290/.355/.529 batting line. In one fell swoop, the Padres fixed their left field issue and brought in a solid designated hitter for the rest of the season. Not too shabby, and helps make up for the bizarre Mason Miller trade earlier on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers acquired reliever Brock Stewart from the Minnesota Twins, who's been arguably better than Miller this year by most metrics. But instead of sending a top-5 prospect, sent James Outman to Minnesota after several years of disappointing offensive production. 

The Yankees and Mets also improved, without giving too much value away. Closer David Bednar went from Pittsburgh to the Bronx, shoring up a Yankees bullpen that's seen Devin Williams be inconsistent and Luke Weaver struggle since returning from injury. The Mets brought in Cedric Mullins from the Orioles to replace underwhelming options in center, and Taylor Rogers and Ryan Helsley greatly improve their bullpen depth around Edwin Diaz. 

A lot busier than anyone expected, and plenty of teams going for it. It's a fun time to be a baseball fan.