NEW BLOOD

Astros welcome 1B Christian Walker to team; address Bregman negotiations

Christian Walker Diamondbacks
Welcome to Houston! Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images.
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The Astros welcomed first baseman Christian Walker to the team Monday, in one of two moves that almost certainly marks the end of Alex Bregman’s time in Houston.

Walker signed a $60 million, three-year contract that will pay him $20 million annually just more than a week after the Astros acquired infielder Isaac Paredes from Cubs in the trade that sent outfielder Kyle Tucker to Chicago.

“The way I view it right now is Paredes is going to play third base and Walker is going to play first base,” general manager Dana Brown said Monday. “And Bregman’s still a free agent.”

The Astros had hoped to re-sign Bregman, the team’s third baseman for the last nine seasons, but Brown said the negotiations stalled.

“I thought we made a really competitive offer, showing that we wanted him back,” he said. “But we had to pursue other options. We couldn’t just sit there. We locked in Paredes early in that trade, knowing that he could play third or first and then when the opportunity to add another bat came up we just jumped on it.”

The addition of a first baseman was a priority this offseason for the Astros after they released struggling first baseman José Abreu less than halfway through a $58.5 million, three-year contract.

“We knew we had to get better at first base,” Brown said. “We pursued (Walker) and we’re excited to have him because we know that we’re going to have a really good first baseman that can defend and also hit the ball on the seats from time to time.”

Walked was attracted by the sustained success of the Astros, who won their first two World Series titles in 2017 and '22.

“I’ve been watching this team for a while now, and that edge, the energy, the expectation, you can tell that they’re going out there with a standard,” he said. “And I’m very excited to be a part of it.”

Walker is looking forward playing on an infield with star second baseman Jose Altuve. He’s fascinated by the success and consistency Altuve has had over his 14-year career.

“I get a chance to learn from Jose Altuve,” Walker said. “Nothing really gets better than that.”

Brown was asked what he would tell fans disappointed to see the Astros lose another star after George Springer and Carlos Correa left as free agents in recent years.

“I would just tell the fans that look, we are very focused on remaining competitive,” he said. “We’re very focused on winning division and going back to the World Series, and I think with these additions that we have the ability to do that. So, I feel strongly that we’re going to be picked to win the division first off. And if our pitching holds up, which I feel strongly about, as well, I think we’ll get deep into the postseason.”

The Astros won the AL West for a fourth straight year this season before being swept by the Tigers in an AL Wild Card Series.

Walker, who turns 34 during the opening week of the season, hit .251 with 26 homers, 84 RBIs, 55 walks and 133 strikeouts this year. That was down from 2023, when he batted .258 with 33 homers and 103 RBIs as the Diamondbacks reached the World Series.

Walker played in 130 games this year, down from 157 in 2023 and 160 in 2022. He was sidelined between July 29 and Sept. 3 by a strained left oblique.

He spent the last eight seasons with the Diamondbacks, where he hit 146 homers with 442 RBIs and a .251 batting average.

He didn’t secure a full-time job in the big leagues until 2019. He’s provided consistent power over the past six seasons and has grown into an elite defensive first baseman, winning Gold Gloves in each of the past three seasons.

Walker played college ball at South Carolina and was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2012. He made his big league debut with the Orioles in 2014 but couldn’t stick in the majors and was claimed off waivers by Atlanta, Cincinnati and Arizona in a five-week span.

Walker’s contract has a limited no-trade provision allowing him to block deals to six teams without his consent. He would earn $200,000 for winning an MVP, $175,000 for second, $150,000 for third, $125,000 for fourth and $100,000 for fifth.

Walker also would get $100,000 for World Series MVP, $50,000 for League Championship Series MVP and $75,000 apiece for making the All-Star Game or winning a Gold Glove or Silver Slugger Award.

Infielder Grae Kessinger was designated for assignment to open a roster spot.

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The Astros need a win in the worst way. Composite Getty Image.

The Houston Astros are looking to stop the bleeding.

After dropping their fifth straight game Monday night, and their 10th in the past 11 at Daikin Park, the American League West leaders turn to right-hander Jason Alexander on Tuesday night to face the Washington Nationals in the second game of the series.

Houston still sits atop the division at 60-47, but the recent slide has begun to test the edges of their depth and momentum. They’ll try to steady things against a Nationals team that’s playing better than its record suggests. Washington has won six of its last 10, including Monday’s 2-1 series-opening victory, and arrives with a bit of confidence behind starter Mike Soroka.

Alexander (1-1, 8.14 ERA) will make his third start of the season for Houston and is still looking for consistency after a bumpy start to his campaign. The Nationals counter with Soroka (3-8, 4.85 ERA), who has quietly put together a string of solid outings while showing improved command. Soroka has struck out 83 and posted a 1.13 WHIP over 78 innings.

Offensively, both teams have had their share of struggles of late. The Astros have hit just .241 over their past 10 games and have been outscored by 13 runs during that stretch. On Monday, they managed just one run for the third straight contest, wasting a 12-strikeout night from Framber Valdez.

Veteran second baseman Jose Altuve remains a key contributor with 17 doubles and 17 home runs, while Christian Walker has been one of Houston’s more reliable bats lately, going 12-for-37 over the past 10 games.

For Washington, Luis Garcia has tallied 22 doubles and 45 RBIs on the year, and Josh Bell has chipped in with two homers in his last 10 outings.

The Astros are still favored to bounce back — listed as -142 favorites by BetMGM — but with the recent home woes and a struggling rotation, nothing seems guaranteed right now in Houston. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET.

Lineup takeaways

What is Joe Espada doing to try to snap the losing streak? He'll start with Taylor Trammell leading off and playing left field, which has Jose Altuve as the DH and hitting second. Christian Walker will once again hit third, with Cam Smith (RF) back in the cleanup spot after a day off.

Jacob Melton is returns to center field and will hit fifth, followed by catcher Yainer Diaz and Mauricio Dubon (3B).

Espada, looking to shake things up and provide the offense with a spark, goes with Shay Whitcomb over Brice Matthews at second base, and Zack Short (SS) will hit ninth.

 

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