HOUSTON: Christian Walker has many positive things to say about Houston. He is excited about the opportunity to play for a team that has made the playoffs eight times in a row, is enthralled by the short porch at what will be Daikin Park in 2025, and is undoubtedly interested by the BBQ culture.
After donning a No. 13 Astros shirt on Monday, Walker remarked, “It’s everything that we were looking for to come to the ballpark every day and there’s a standard and you know what you’re getting, you know what to expect, from the fan base, from your teammates, from your staff.” “It fulfilled many requirements.”
Purchase tickets for the March 14 Astros Spring Breakout game.
A source tells MLB.com that Walker inked a $60 million three-year contract with the Astros. Over the last three seasons, Walker, 33, has subtly become one of the best first basemen in the league by combining excellent glove performance with prolific at-bat output. At first base, he has earned three straight National League Gold Gloves.
“This was one of our teams that we were hoping it would work out for a while now once free agency was approaching,” he added, referring to Walker’s wife, Amanda. I had no idea what to anticipate because this was my first experience with free agency. It takes place quickly and is circling, circling, circling. It gained some traction. They wanted it done, and we wanted it done. It should have been obvious.
Examining Walker’s contract with the Astros from every perspective
Since the start of 2022, the right-handed slugger has led the position with 38 Outs Above Average and is ranked seventh among main first basemen with 11.4 WAR (per Baseball-Reference). During that time, he has recorded 95 home runs, 281 RBIs, and an OPS (123 OPS+) of.813 across 1,880 plate appearances.
“Having a player like Christian will elevate our team to a new level,” stated Dana Brown, general manager of the Astros. We have been without his defense at first base. Now we have a person who has been at the top, and we have been at the bottom.
Walker probably would have hit the 30-homer threshold for the third consecutive season if he hadn’t been out for almost a month in 2024 due to a left oblique strain. In 130 games, he ended with 84 RBIs and 26 home runs with the D-backs. The Crawford Boxes, which are 315 feet from home plate, will undoubtedly help Walker, even if he takes a more all-fields approach at the plate.
“I’m excited about that short porch, but I try not to change who I am at the plate,” he remarked. “I’ve been playing at Chase Field for a long time; it’s a large park.” This can also happen occasionally, although it’s enjoyable to play in the rival team’s environment on the field. It’s difficult.
Get your new year’s Astros stuff.
On December 13, the Astros acquired third baseman Isaac Paredes and two other players from the Cubs in exchange for All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker. Additionally, Walker’s signing implies that two-time World Series champion third baseman Alex Bregman will not be returning to Houston. Walker (first base) and Paredes (third base) will take Tucker and Bregman’s positions in the lineup.
The acquisition of former AL MVP José Abreu to a three-year, $58.5 million contract in November 2022 was the first of two seasons in which Houston has had subpar offensive production at first base. Following a.362 OPS and two home runs in 35 games in 2024, Abreu was released in June, and Jon Singleton initially received the most of the starts.
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