The Houston Astros have made another big move this offseason, picking up free agent first baseman Christian Walker, according to multiple reports. Walker and the Astros have agreed to a three-year deal worth $60 million, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Walker, who spent the past eight seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, was one of the top free agents this season. The 33-year-old first baseman was something of a late bloomer in baseball, not becoming a consistent starter for the DBacks until 2019, when he was 28 years old.
Walker has earned three Gold Gloves in the last three consecutive seasons, sealing his reputation as one of the best first basemen in the league.
During the 2024 season, Walker hit 26 home runs and had a batting average of .251. But defense was where the infielder really excelled: Walker finished the year with a league-leading .998 fielding percentage.
He played in 129 games this season and missed time in August with an oblique injury.
The move comes as Houston tries to turn things around for next season. The Astros traded All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs last week, freeing up some cap space to land players like Walker.
