3 Astros Players Who Should Sit Out if Rob Manfred Institutes 50-Game Season

With negotiations -- if you can even call it that -- between MLB owners and players seemingly back to square one after the former's latest proposal, it's looking like commissioner Rob Manfred will have to take charge in order for baseball to be played in 2020.

ESPN insider Buster Olney reported last week that some star players will sit out if the season is shortened to 50 games. The Houston Astros come to mind as a team that could be faced with such a conundrum as they have several players set to hit the open market next year. With this in mind, let's take a closer look at three Astros players who should forgo this year if Manfred orders a significantly truncated campaign.

3. Michael Brantley

At 33 years old, Michael Brantley has one more chance at cashing a lucrative contract as a big leaguer. The impending free agent has been named an All-Star for three years running, and really wouldn't prove anything to potential suitors by playing just 50 games in 2020. On top of that, Brantley has a concerning injury history on his resume, so it's pretty clear why he would benefit from sitting out this year.

2. Justin Verlander

It's duly noted that Justin Verlander has aged like a fine wine, but father time is going to catch up to him at some point. The two-time Cy Young is now 37 years old and has thrown a total of 437 innings across the last two seasons. Verlander's right arm may be made of rubber, but if there's one player on the Astros that could benefit from a full year of rest, it's him, and that's not up for debate considering he was already dealing with injuries this spring. He's not expected to get another colossal deal, so he might has well earn the entirety of his two-year, $66 million extension he signed last year.

1. George Springer

In February of 2018, George Springer signed a two-year, $24 million contract with Houston that bought out two years of his arbitration eligibility. He was set to earn a $21 million salary in 2020, his final year of club control, but that is obviously no longer in play. The three-time All-Star is set to hit the open market after this season, and, in the simplest of terms, he has nothing to gain and everything to lose. Springer's is widely regarded as one of the game's most complete players and was already going to be a highly sought-after free agent. By no means should the 30-year-old star consider risking a monster pay day by playing in a shortened campaign. The possibility of suffering an injury or vastly underperforming under a tiny sample size just isn't worth it.