What Astros numbers will be retired after the “Golden Years”?

Tier 3: Possibles

Justin Verlander

Verlander was traded to the Astros in 2017 and helped lead the team to a championship. He has made two All-Star teams in his time in Houston and led the league in WHIP in 2018 and 2019.

He also won a Cy Young and threw a no-hitter in 2019. He missed all but one game in 2020, as well as all of 2021 due to injury. He is back for 2022 and has been great thus far. The no-hitter, Cy Young and World Series championship is what really puts Verlander on this list.

He passes all four of the Hall of Fame tests, but mainly from his time in Detroit. If he continues his longevity in Houston, I think he has a great chance to get his number retired in Houston as well, especially if he gets his first World Series game victory while in an Astros uniform. It also depends on whether Verlander goes into the Hall of Fame as an Astro or a Tiger. Time will tell.

Carlos Correa

Correa played for the Astros from 2015 to 2021, making two All-Star appearances. This one is probably going to be the most mixed bag on this list, as some fans think that Correa should be a lock for number retirement, while other fans will say he should not have his number retired simply due to the fact that he left for Minnesota.

Personally, I think it can go either way, but I believe you cannot be mad at Correa for leaving the club. In terms of the Hall of Fame tests, he fails all four. This, combined with his departure, probably keeps No. 1 in Astros circulation.

However, the way that Correa handled the cheating scandal and the way that he stood up for the club and its players is not to be overlooked. He was also one of the hardest workers on the team throughout his tenure in Houston.

Not to mention that he was one of the most clutch hitters in postseason history. If he comes back to the team at some point, his chances will most likely improve, but that has begun to look un-probable with the emergence of Jeremy Peña — more on him later.

Alex Bregman

Bregman was drafted by the Astros in 2015 and was called up halfway through the 2016 season. Many consider him, as well as Justin Verlander, the final pieces that the team needed to win the World Series.

This is the one that I find the most interesting. Bregman is only 28, and signed through 2024 —will reach free agency at age 31. He is not close to any of the four Hall of Fame tests, but he has a lot of time as an Astro left, and he has many years left in his prime.

He finished second in MVP voting in 2019, and if he can get back to that performance on a solid basis, which he looks good so far this season, he has a great shot at the Hall of Fame. He has not truly been healthy since that season until now, so I am very excited to see what he can pull off. I also believe that either him or Kyle Tucker will become the team’s best player very soon.