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Astros Interested In Christian Walker

By Darragh McDonald | December 5, 2024 at 3:35pm CDT

It’s been well established that re-signing Alex Bregman is the top priority for the Astros but he remains a free agent. The club has to consider backup plans for the event Bregman gets away and it’s been reported that one of their contingencies is Jorge Polanco. Today, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports that they could instead shift their focus to first base and have discussed Christian Walker.

The Astros and Bregman have been dancing around each other for quite some time without finding common ground. Dana Brown was hired as general manager in January of 2023 and almost immediately talked about signing core players to extensions. They did get new deals done with Jose Altuve and Cristian Javier but not with Bregman or Kyle Tucker. Brown and owner Jim Crane have continued to talk about their desire to re-sign Bregman in the almost two years since then but without getting pen to paper.

The problem seems to be the organization’s long-standing aversion to big deals. Altuve’s $151MM extension in 2018 is still the largest guarantee they’ve ever given out on any contract and the six years on the Yordan Alvarez extension is their longest pact. They’ve let players like Gerrit Cole, George Springer and Carlos Correa go get their big paydays elsewhere as opposed to re-signing them.

On top of that, there’s the short-term payroll question. They payed the competitive balance tax in 2024, technically for the first time. They did go over the line in 2020 but the penalties were put on pause for the COVID-shortened season. RosterResource projects their CBT number at $234MM for next year, just barely below the $241MM base threshold.

Back in October, Brown spoke of the finances being a little tight and said “We may have to get a little bit creative” about spending. Crane struck a slightly more optimistic tone about the money in November, saying that the club has “the wherewithal to do it if we need to do it” but also cautioned that they didn’t want to go crazy.

McTaggart says the Astros have offered Bregman a six-year deal worth $156MM, which aligns with previous reports. That would eclipse their previous record but just barely and it’s possible Bregman can top that elsewhere. MLBTR predicted he could land a guarantee of $182MM and he is reportedly looking for something in the range of $200MM. Bregman has reported interest from clubs like the Blue Jays, Phillies and Red Sox, with MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently taking a detailed look at his market in a post for MLBTR subscribers.

With a non-zero chance of Bregman ending up leaving Houston, the club naturally needs to at least ponder alternate realities, with Walker one such thing they seem to have considered. It’s a logical consideration given that first base is a weak spot for the club. José Abreu crashed and burned as an Astro, getting released midway through the 2024 season. Jon Singleton picked up most of his playing time and was adequate but not outstanding. He slashed .234/.321/.386 last year for a wRC+ of 105 but with subpar defense, leading to an essentially replacement level season.

Walker is coming off a remarkably consistent three-year run with the Diamondbacks. He got into 160 games in 2022 and hit 36 home runs, then followed it up with 33 home runs in 157 games the following year. In 2024, he was on roughly the same pace but spent a small amount of time on the injured list, limited to 26 homers in 130 games. He finished each season with a wRC+ in the 119-122 range, producing a combined .250/.332/.481 batting line in those three seasons.

He’s also considered a strong defender at first base, with career tallies of 43 Defensive Runs Saved and 57 Outs Above Average. FanGraphs gave him 3.9 wins above replacement in 2022 and 2023. He would have been back in that range in 2024 if not for the aforementioned injury absence, ending up at 3.0 fWAR.

But since Walker turns 34 in March, his contract will be limited. MLBTR predicted him for a three-year deal with a $60MM guarantee, though it’s also possible he will be limited to a two-year pact, depending on how his market develops.

That price point would perhaps be more attractive to the Astros than the kind of deal Bregman will eventually sign, though there would also be drawbacks. Walker rejected a qualifying offer from the Diamondbacks, meaning he is tied to the associated penalties. Since the Astros just paid the CBT in 2024, they would have to surrender their second- and fifth-best picks in the upcoming draft as well as $1MM of international bonus pool space. Also, after just getting burned by signing Abreu, they may not want to sign another mid-3os first baseman to a notable deal, especially when they’re still paying Abreu for another year.

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Houston Astros Alex Bregman Christian Walker

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View Comments (26)
Post a Comment

26 Comments

  1. MLB Top 100 Commenter

    6 months ago

    I think Christian Walker will well exceed the MLBTR predicted dollars.

    3
    Reply
    • Mets Era Thumping Soto

      6 months ago

      Has any signing so far not exceeded predictions?

      1
      Reply
    • WadeBoggsWildRide

      6 months ago

      I think Walker is a great fit for a bunch of teams and 3/$60 would be a bargain.

      All the teams considering a Bellinger trade should be in on Walker as a 1st choice.

      Reply
  2. User 1939973770

    6 months ago

    Pass

    Reply
  3. Balk

    6 months ago

    Could be a good fit.

    1
    Reply
  4. bwmiller79

    6 months ago

    Don’t know why you’d leave AZ at 34 yrs for a bigger paycheck, and I’m certain AZ would like to retain him.

    Astros will have big holes at first and third should they lose Bregman in FA, and I can’t see Walker signing with Houston. They are going to have to drop a bag on Bregman and squeeze Verlander.

    Reply
  5. Skell 2

    6 months ago

    Christian Walker def tops 3 years and $60 million. 3 years and 69-72 sounds more realistic. I also wouldn’t be shocked if he got a 4th guaranteed year

    1
    Reply
    • YourDreamGM

      6 months ago

      I wouldn’t be even surprised a bit if he gets 5 years.

      Reply
  6. Salzilla

    6 months ago

    Does anyone else find it funny that Walker is getting more airtime than the #1 first baseman free agent??? I haven’t heard a peep of interest in Alonso leaked from anyone, not even his outbound team where the fanbase loves him.

    6
    Reply
    • RunDMC

      6 months ago

      ~insert kicking rocks GIF~

      1
      Reply
    • Mets Era Thumping Soto

      6 months ago

      He’s heading back to NY after they sign Soto. Boras can’t negotiate everyone at once.

      Reply
      • RunDMC

        6 months ago

        …or if NYM loses out on Soto, Boras ups the price on Alonso in the same breath, with a grin like the Cheshire Cat

        Pivot! PIVAWT!

        2
        Reply
      • Salzilla

        6 months ago

        If you mean to the Yanks, then I’d believe you.

        Reply
    • WadeBoggsWildRide

      6 months ago

      Good point. I would take Walker over Alonso though.

      4
      Reply
  7. Butter Biscuits

    6 months ago

    Get him out of the NL west

    Reply
  8. Mehmehmeh

    6 months ago

    Great player. I think they tried to acquire him before signing Jose Abreu. But due to Walker’s current age, the team has to be at least slightly concerned about a similar contract and outcome as the last FA 1B.

    Reply
  9. Motor City Beach Bum

    6 months ago

    Tigers will scoop him up, trade off Tork and trade for a 3B…maybe swap Tork to Pitts for Ke’Bryan Hayes to address 3B. Fresh starts for both. Getting Walker instead of Bregman should be Detroit’s play so they can use the savings to chase some solid starters and a good BP arm.

    1
    Reply
    • User 3716094111

      6 months ago

      Tork for Hayes? I’d do this deal in a second. Hayes had one good half season here and then settled into the role of Mr Nonchalant.
      Maybe it’s been a back issue all along that would describe the mindless at bats, the failure to hustle on ground balls or the handful of seeds as he plays 3rd while a ball is live and in the outfield. And maybe he’s one helluva nice guy
      But he has played like he’d rather be anywhere else. And you want this guy and Baez on the same team?

      Reply
      • Motor City Beach Bum

        6 months ago

        I’d like them to kick Baez to the curb but that doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen. Hayes is really good defensively at 3B and a year removed from a good offensive season. They say Tork refused to change his swing and listen to coaches. Tork is the same offensively; a year removed from a good season. They both have their issues. I’m sure there would be other pieces in play from both sides if they did this. I think it would be an interesting trade and let them go get other pieces vs sign Bregman.

        Reply
        • User 3716094111

          6 months ago

          Motor City, I watch this team game in and game out. And I have for years. Your thought that he’s a “year removed” is a matter of perceptions, I guess. Hayes is not a 20+ homer guy, doesn’t drive in runs and really has continued with some poor mechanics at the plate. Again, throw him a breaking pitch off the outside corner and it’s like a mouse and cheese
          More than anything else, you see little passion, little fire. Huge misfire in signing this kid to a big contract early on

          Reply
        • Motor City Beach Bum

          6 months ago

          I expect you know your team better than I do. Thanks for the clarification on that. Hopefully that doesn’t happen to the Tigers with Keith who signed a similar type deal recently.

          1
          Reply
  10. SupremeZeus

    6 months ago

    In 2024 35% of Walker’s HR output was from 6 games vs the Dodgers. Better be a NL west team signing him. Absolute Dodger ownage over his career.

    Reply
  11. UWPSUPERFAN77

    6 months ago

    Open up the money by getting rid of Verlander. This addition by subtraction pays for Walker!

    1
    Reply
  12. Seaver rules

    6 months ago

    Those bandbox ballparks in the Bronx and Houston are perfect for Walker but my gut says he will be a Yankee. Pete will return to Queens.

    1
    Reply
    • CGG12

      6 months ago

      I think the Mets re-sign Alonso, plus sign Soto and Burnes.

      Wouldn’t mind my Yanks pivoting to sign Bregman/Santander + Walker in that scenario.

      Reply
  13. Brick House Coffee Tables Inc

    6 months ago

    I think he’s too good of a fit for the Nationals. Good power, good defense, clubhouse presence for a team of young position players. The Nationals can afford 3/66 and a 4th year option.

    Reply

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