3 Houston Astros who won’t be back in 2025 after Christian Walker signing

Dana Brown and the Houston Astros clearly weren't interested in waiting around to see if timing was really all that stopped the Nolan Arenado trade. On Friday, the Astros turned the page on their offseason plans and acted swiftly to land first baseman Christian Walker, reportedly inking the former Diamondback to a three-year, $20 million contract.

Walker makes a lot of things clear when it comes to the Astros moving forward. For one, this move coupled with the Kyle Tucker trade from a week ago signifies a changing of the guard in Houston, starting to reshape the next chapter after a dynastic run out of the AL West.

That carries into some of the players who, at least at some point, could've been considered for possible Astros reunions this offseason. With the Walker addition, both because of money and direction that this organization is heading, it now seems like these three players are certainly gone out of Houston.

3. Alex Bregman is being shoved out the door in Houston

We'll start with the most obvious implication when it comes to Walker joining the Astros, Alex Bregman. The two-time World Series champion, two-time All-Star and 2019 AL MVP runner-up has been a stalwart for the dynasty in Houston since he joined the organization out of LSU. With him hitting free agency, there was always at least a consideration he could return for another go at it and to finish his career there.

That seemingly gained even more traction, meanwhile, after the Astros saw their trade proposal for Nolan Arenado get axed by the veteran Cardinals third baseman exercising his no-trade clause. Turning their focus to a reunion with Bregman was the most sensible next move for Houston after we saw that happen.

Walker's arrival puts that completely to bed, however. The Astros acquired Isaac Paredes in the Tucker deal from the Cubs, but his positional versatility still left the door open for Bregman. Walker now coming in at first base and Jose Altuve's presence at second base makes that no longer the case. Paredes is not the third baseman in Houston, leaving Bregman now set to join another team for the first time in his career.

2. Hector Neris simply doesn't make sense for the Astros now

If we're being real, what the Astros now likely plan to do with reliever Hector Neris is not solely related to the Walker trade. Rather, it's the totality of what Houston has been doing this offseason, which Walker is now a part of, that puts the writing on the wall for the 35-year-old right-hander.

For starters, it might've always been a stretch to think that the Astros would want Neris back in the fold anyway. After he returned to Houston following a brief stint with the Cubs early in the 2024 season before being released by Chicago, he was not the player they'd seen in his years prior with the club, posting an appalling 4.70 ERA over 16 appearances and being largely unreliable coming out of the bullpen.

Of course, given the familiarity, it would've made sense. But the Astros are seemingly all-in on not relying solely on familiarity with this offseason, which moving on from Bregman clearly indicates. On top of that, former Cubs top prospect Hayden Wesneski is now in Houston by way of the Tucker trade. While he projects long-term as a starter, he could still be used out of the bullpen, further giving credence to the idea that Neris won't be returning to the 'Stros.

1. Justin Verlander is done with the Astros once again

The vibes could not have been higher for Houston at the 2023 trade deadline as the Mets blew up their inordinately expensive roster amid their lack of success, which led to Justin Verlander's return to the Astros. Much like the reunion with Neris last season, it was a familiar face who enjoyed a ton of success with Houston through his career returning and hoping to ride off on a high into the sunset.

As we know, that's not exactly how it played out for Verlander or the 'Stros, specifically in the 2024 season. The now-41-year-old struggled to simply stay healthy and be able to take the mound but, amid that, he was quite bad when he did touch the rubber. Verlander posted a 5.48 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP over 17 starts this past season and never quite looked right, much less like the dominant force he'd been so often in his career.

Once again speaking to breaking up the familiarity that we've come to know with this club, that's clearly not something that the Astros are banking on any further. When you then factor in Verlander's age and the now-lingering questions about what he has left in the tank or if he can stay healthy, any inkling of him returning definitely seems out the window at this point.