Houston Astros Mentioned Among Best Fits for Gold Glove Infielder in Free Agency

The Houston Astros would be smart to pursue this free agent infielder this offseason.

Arizona Diamondbacks batter Christian Walker (53) reacts to his line out against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field in Phoenix on Sept. 23, 2024. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Houston Astros have a few glaring needs on their roster that need to be addressed this offseason if they want to remain contenders in the American League.

Some of those needs could change depending on what happens with third baseman Alex Bregman, who is seeking a massive contract.

Currently, the sides reportedly aren’t close when it comes to money.

While that is the team’s No. 1 priority to figure out, there are other areas of the roster that need an upgrade.

At the top of the to-do list is finding a first baseman.

The fall from grace for Jose Abreu was a shocking thing to witness. The 2020 MVP was productive in his final two seasons with the Chicago White Sox, but his production fell off a cliff with the Astros, as he hit rock bottom in 2024.

Before being released by the franchise, he recorded a .124/.167/.195 slash line with two home runs and two doubles in 120 plate appearances. He was demoted near the end of April, spending about a month away from the big league club.

When things didn’t improve, Houston opted to move on, turning to Jon Singleton as their starting first baseman.

His numbers were better than those of Abreu’s, but were still underwhelming.

The team will be looking for a bonafide upgrade there, and free agency presents several options.

One player to keep an eye on is veteran Christian Walker.

The MLB experts over at The Athletic have named the Astros as one of the best fits for the former Arizona Diamondbacks slugger, along with the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees.

“Christian Walker didn’t get regular playing time in the majors until age 28, but the late-blooming slugger has turned into one of MLB’s best all-around first basemen. He’s topped an .800 OPS and won a Gold Glove award in three straight seasons while averaging 32 homers per 150 games. One of baseball’s premier defenders, Walker led all NL first basemen with 14 Outs Above Average in 2024.”

His market is an intriguing one to keep an eye on.

He will cost a fraction of the price of someone such as Pete Alonso because of his age while also giving a team similar production.

At the plate, Walker is comparable enough to Alonso, and whatever he lacks with the bat, he more than makes up for with his stellar production in the field.

Projected to land a two-year, $44 million deal, he is the perfect target for Houston.

With their core getting older, he fits the timeline of contention, as things could look vastly different with the roster in 2026.