The Houston Astros are having an interesting offseason, to say the least.
Last week, they traded superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs, who are laying the groundwork for extending him, which Houston was unwilling to do. Then, they completed a trade for defensive savant Nolan Arenado, only for the third baseman to refuse the deal by exercising his no-trade clause.
Now, they're actually bringing in a talented bat, signing first baseman Christian Walker to a three-year, $60 million deal, per multiple reports.
Astros, 1B Christian Walker agree to deal, per multiple reports including https://t.co/Z3s2EpgF39's @Feinsand. pic.twitter.com/Es1STWKFdS
— MLB (@MLB) December 20, 2024
Walker will now take over as the full-time first baseman in Houston, who previously had Jon Singleton penciled in on their depth chart.
Astros straddling multiple timelines with offseason moves
In that Tucker trade, Houston landed third baseman Isaac Paredes, who projects to be the team's starter at the hot corner in 2025. They also nabbed prized prospect Cam Smith, who also plays third base.
That trade, when combined with the addition of Walker at the cold corner, practically guarantees that the Astros won't be retaining Alex Bregman. The star third baseman is arguably the top hitter left on the free agent market, and it's likely that he's been fielding offers well beyond the Astros' comfort zone.
It's just a bizarre offseason plan that the Astros are following. They're in the process of losing multiple star players, yet they're signing the 33-year-old Walker to a multi-year deal. What's more, any additional draft compensation they were going to receive from Bregman's departure is now wiped out by the Walker signing.
Christian Walker declined a qualifying offer from the DBacks, so if a deal with the Astros gets done, Houston will lose its second and fifth-highest selections in the 2025 draft. However, if/when Alex Bregman signs elsewhere, the Astros will get a comp pick after the fourth round
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) December 20, 2024
Mind you, Walker is still an excellent player. He's won three consecutive Gold Gloves at first base for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and has racked up 11.4 WAR and an .813 OPS (121 wRC+) during this late-career breakout. He's a huge improvement over Singleton — one of baseball's best feel-good stories over the last couple of years — and should lengthen a lineup that has lost a lot of talent in recent years.
The Astros are on an incredible run of success, having appeared in the ALCS in every season from 2017-23. They've also won the AL West in seven of the past eight seasons. That being said, their championship window is closing, and the signing of Walker may not do much (on its own) to delay the inevitable.
As long as they continue dominating the division, no one can blame them for pursuing win-now moves. But the clock is going to strike midnight on Houston at some point, and it's then that they'll have to commit to one path or another.