Former Astros All-Star could be on the move at the trade deadline

When the Houston Astros let George Springer walk in free agency ahead of the 2021 season, fans were understandably upset. In his seven seasons with the Astros, Springer slashed .270/.361/.491 while averaging 25 homers a year and routinely making the All-Star Game. In terms of pure upside, few could match Springer. Unfortunately, the Astros couldn't/wouldn't keep him long-term.

Ultimately, Springer decided to sign a six year, $150 million deal with the Blue Jays. His first year in Toronto was marred by a quad injury that repeatedly causes him trouble and limited him to just 78 games (even though he played very well in that limited time). When Springer made the All-Star team in 2022 with an .814 OPS and 25 homers yet again, it looked like Houston may have made a mistake in not keeping him around.

The last two seasons, however, have been less kind. Since the start of 2023, Springer has only managed a .695 OPS with declining defensive ability, including a disastrous .570 OPS so far this season. Just like that, Springer's deal has become a problem for the Blue Jays and a dodged bullet for the Astros.

With the trade deadline looming and the Blue Jays falling further and further out of the AL East race, it now looks like Toronto could end up being sellers with Springer being among the more likely guys that could be available.

Springer's trade deadline fate seemingly validates Astros' decision to let him leave

If you had told fans back after the 2020 season that Toronto would be sellers at the trade deadline in 2024 and may be forced to try and move Springer, you would have been called crazy. The Blue Jays were an up-and-coming team that had some of the best young stars in the game at the time. Almost everyone thought that Springer and the Blue Jays were about to be off to the races.

Instead, Toronto has become an also-ran this season and could sell off multiple players, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette (in addition to Springer). On top of that, moving Springer could be a tough sell given that he is owed over $24 million a year through 2026 and looks like a shell of his former self.

Maybe the Astros were on to something when they decided to let him walk after all ... though it's hard to give them that much credit since they also decided to go out and spend that much money per year on Jose Abreu just a couple offseasons ago.

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