At the time, the Houston Astros signing first baseman Christian Walker to a three-year, $60 million contract this past offseason was deemed positive. He was (and still is) expected to play a vital heart-of-the-order role for them, though that's been far from the case thus far in 2025.
Walker's arrival in Houston was bittersweet; it effectively marked the end of the road for the club's longtime franchise player, Alex Bregman. But it was necessary for the Astros, especially after they traded All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs. Alas, the veteran infielder has gotten off to a dreadful start to his time in H-Town and hasn't looked worthy of the lofty price tag.
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Christian Walker has failed to live up to the $60 million the Astros signed him to this offseason
Across 154 at-bats this season, Walker boasts a paltry .208/.281/.344 slash with four home runs and 15 RBIs. His .625 OPS and 29.2 percent strikeout rate are well above their respective MLB averages of .710 and 22.1, respectively. He's struggled mightily at the plate, which is undeniably among the reasons Houston's been a middle-of-the-pack offense.
Leaving a more hitter-friendly environment in Chase Field with the Arizona Diamondbacks for Houston's Daikin Park has presumably factored into Walker's early slump. It's also urged him to try fine-tuning his hitting mechanics, almost to a fault. Yet, the Astros are paying the 34-year-old so much that these things are inexcusable, albeit reasonable.
Nonetheless, if there's any saving grace for Walker, he's proving his worth defensively. The three-time Gold Glove winner has been a revelation at the cold corner for a team that desperately needed it. He's been light years better than last year's platoon at the position between Jon Singleton, José Abreu and Mauricio Dubón, among others.
For whatever it's worth, Walker has been trending up in the batter's box. Three of his four homers this season have come over the past month and he's getting on base more consistently. However, the Stros will need much more from him moving forward to justify the $20 million average annual value.