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Former Astros
Gerrit Cole
Gerrit Cole is arguably the best pitcher on the planet right now, and he’s in the middle of his prime. With 101 wins, 26 career WAR and more than 1,400 strikeouts, he’s certainly building an impressive resume. He’s yet to win a Cy Young award, but there’s still plenty of time for that. If he remains as durable as he’s been, he’s got a great chance for the Hall of Fame.
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But in an Astros cap? Not likely. He had his best season to date when he was in Houston, winning 20 games and leading the league in ERA and strikeouts in 2019. But he was only here for two years, and he’s in the midst of a nine-year deal with the Yankees. If he plays that out in the Bronx, that’s probably the cap he’ll wear in Cooperstown.
George Springer
George Springer is now 31 and has 27.5 career WAR in seven seasons. He has 174 homers, three All Star selections and an .852 career OPS. These are nice numbers, but they don’t really look Hall of Fame worthy at this point. Given that he’s on the wrong side of 30, it’ll take a run of several impressive seasons for him to have a legitimate shot.
Those seasons will have to come in Toronto, which would make for an interesting debate. He spent his first seven seasons in Houston and is signed with the Blue Jays for the next six. If he puts up better numbers up north, he just might make it, which would be quite the debate. If he’s able to build a good case, it’s anyone’s guess as to which team he’ll represent.