Less than halfway through his six-year, $200 million contract — amid an epic sell-off at the trade deadline on Thursday — the Twins dealt Correa, one of the leaders in their clubhouse, back to the Houston Astros, where he began his career, the biggest move on a dark day for the organization.

Carlos Correa is back with the Houston Astros, reuniting one of the franchise’s most iconic players with the city where he became a star. While Astros fans are more than familiar with Correa, the man behind the blockbuster trade hasn’t met him yet.

Crane has long remained a fan of Correa, to whom he offered a five-year, $160 million contract after the 2021 season. After Correa rejected it and signed with the Twins, Crane took the rare step of issuing a statement thanking Correa and his wife Daniella for their contributions to the city and franchise.