Best Nats/Expos not in Hall of Fame

February 2nd, 2022

The Nationals’ current roster has some future Hall of Fame talent, but the Washington era hasn't yet had a player enshrined in Cooperstown. The most recent inductee who suited up for the Expos when the franchise was in Montreal was Larry Walker in 2020. For every player elected, there are even more who put up solid numbers in their careers but did not garner enough votes for the elite honor.

Here are the five best players from the franchise who are not in the Hall of Fame. (Note: This list includes players who are retired and had a significant role with the organization.)

1. Jeff Reardon, RHP
From 1979-94, Reardon closed out games around the league. The right-hander played for the Expos from ‘81-86, as well as for the Mets, Twins, Red Sox, Braves, Reds and Yankees. He earned four All-Star selections, led the National League with 41 saves in ‘85 while in Montreal and won a World Series in ‘87 with Minnesota.

Reardon is 10th on MLB’s all-time saves list with 367 across his 16-year career. He earned 152 of them with the Expos and has a significant hold on the franchise record in the category.

In his career, Reardon threw 1,132 1/3 innings over 880 games (he finished 695 of those). He tallied 877 strikeouts to 358 walks, posted a 1.199 WHIP, 3.16 ERA and 73-77 record.

Reardon’s only year on the Hall of Fame ballot was 2000. He received 24 votes (4.8 percent), but that was not enough to return him to the ballot the next year.

2. Andrés Galarraga, 1B
Galarraga played eight of his 19 seasons with the Expos -- at the beginning of his career from 1985-91 and later in 2002. It was in Montreal where the first baseman set the tone for the list of accomplishments he would tally in his career.

Playing for the Expos, Galarraga won a Silver Slugger Award, two Gold Glove Awards and earned his first All-Star selection. He went on to garner four more All-Star nods, another Silver Slugger and the 1993 National League batting title with a .370 average as a member of the Rockies.

From 1985-2004, Galarraga slashed .288/.347/.499 with an .846 OPS, 119 OPS+, 2,333 hits, 399 home runs and 1,425 RBIs over 2,257 games with the Expos, Cardinals, Rockies, Braves, Rangers, Giants and Angels. Defensively, he ranks in the top 20 all-time in games played, putouts, assists and double plays turned at first base.

Galarraga was on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2010, the year former Expo Andre Dawson was inducted. He received 22 (4.1%) of the votes.

3. , LF
Like Galarraga, Alou laid the foundation for an accolade-filled career as a young talent with the Expos. Finishing second for the 1992 National League Rookie of the Year Award was just the beginning. Alou won two Silver Slugger Awards and earned six All-Star selections over 17 seasons. He also captured a World Series title in 1997 as a member of the Marlins.

Alou’s career took him around the Majors from 1990-2008, beginning as the second overall pick by the Pirates in 1986 to playing for the Expos, Marlins, Astros, Cubs, Giants and Mets. He has a cumulative slash line of .303/.369/.516, along with an .885 OPS, 128 OPS+, 1,109 runs, 2,134 hits, 332 homers and 1,287 RBIs in 1,942 games.

Alou received six votes (1.1 percent) on the 2014 Hall of Fame ballot, a deep class headlined by Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas.

4. , CF
There’s an elite level of baserunning that keeps your eyes glued to the runner, and Grissom achieved that during his 17-year career. The center fielder stole 429 bases from 1989-2005, a span that included his first six seasons in Montreal. During his time with the Expos, Grissom led the NL in stolen bases back-to-back years (1991-92), and he ranks second in franchise history in that category.

Grissom hit .272/.318/.415 with a .732 OPS, 1,187 runs, 2,251 hits, 227 homers and 967 RBIs in 2,165 games with the Expos, Braves, Indians, Brewers, Dodgers and Giants. His 4,706 putouts in center field rank 11th all-time.

Grissom was an All-Star twice, won four Gold Glove Awards, captured a World Series title with the 1995 Braves and earned the '97 American League Championship Series MVP Award as a member of the Indians.

In 2011, Grissom received four votes (0.7 percent) in his only year on the Hall of Fame ballot.

5. , 1B/3B
Wallach played in the Majors from 1980-96, including his first 13 seasons with the Expos. He became the franchise’s all-time leader in games played, at-bats, plate appearances and RBIs before closing out his 17-year career with the Dodgers and Angels, though he has since been passed in franchise RBIs by Ryan Zimmerman.

The infielder slashed .257/.316/.416 with a .732 OPS, 2,085 hits, 908 runs, 260 homers and 1,125 RBIs in 2,212 games. Wallach’s resume includes five All-Star selections, three Gold Glove Awards and two Silver Slugger Awards. He ranks 11th all-time with 2,054 games played at third base, and he is 19th all-time in double plays turned at the position.

Wallach received one vote (0.2 percent) in 2002 in his lone appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot.