Houston Astros Named Ideal Landing Spot for Gold Glove First Baseman
Are the Houston Astros an ideal landing spot for Christian Walker?
Sep 27, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first base Christian Walker (53) bats against the San Diego Padres during the sixth inning at Chase Field. / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
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Despite a slow start to the season, the Astros were able to win the American League West and make the playoffs, but they had their streak of making it to the American League Championship Series snapped after seven straight years.
This offseason, Houston will have some big decisions to make regarding free agency, as they will have one of their key players in Alex Bregman, hitting the open market, while still trying to improve their team.
As the best third baseman available in free agency, Bregman is going to make a lot of money this offseason, as his market was set when Matt Chapman of the San Francisco Giants signed his contract extension.
While bringing back their slugger should be a priority, they also need to upgrade the other corner infield spot at first base.
Recently, Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report spoke about the Astros being the ideal landing spot for free agent Christian Walker.
“The Astros badly need to upgrade at first base, and Walker isn’t just an ideal option with regard to his bat and glove. With money seemingly at a premium right now, he’s a much better fit for the club’s payroll situation than Alonso.”
There is certainly a massive need for Houston to be able to upgrade at first base, as the signing of Jose Abreu a couple of years ago ended up being a massive failure. Abreu is still under contract through 2025, as that will be looming over the Astros’ heads for another year.
With Abreu likely out of the mix in 2025, Houston is going to need to find a player to bring in to upgrade an important position. Walker is a really solid overall option for the Astros, as he can help lengthen the lineup and also will provide them with a steady hand at first base.
In 2022 and 2023, Walker won a gold glove with the Arizona Diamondbacks, as he is one of the best defensive players in the league at the position.
In addition to being an excellent fielder, the 33-year-old has also been a solid hitter for Arizona. Over the last three seasons, Walker has totaled 95 home runs and 281 RBIs. Those are middle of the order type numbers for the slugger, as he would be a welcome addition to the lineup.
With the ability to hit and play the field at a high level, Walker would be a great signing for the Astros.