The Houston Astros had an eventful offseason to say the least. The team watched as long-time third baseman Alex Bregman left in free agency for the Boston Red Sox, and they traded away outfielder Kyle Tucker and relief pitcher Ryan Pressly to the Chicago Cubs in separate deals. But, the Astros did make additions.
The Astros' biggest addition of the offseason has undoubtedly been former Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker, who they signed to a three-year, $60 million contract. The Astros signed Walker not only for his ability to hit home runs, but also for his defensive prowess.
Walker was scratched from this past Wednesday's game due to left oblique soreness, which he felt while taking batting practice. Oblique injujries are tricky, as if severe enough, it could sideline a player for a lengthy period of time. As of now, there is no timeline as to when Walker will return, but he is set to fly back to Houston for an MRI. Of note, Walker did miss a month last season due to a left oblique injury.
Christian Walker will have an MRI on his left oblique after reporting soreness yesterday, per @brianmctaggart
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 6, 2025
Walker missed a month of the season last year with a left oblique injury pic.twitter.com/oTCyaAj71B
What if Walker is not ready by Opening Day? What would Houston's lineup look like?
Projected Astros lineup if Christian Walker misses Opening Day
Batting Order # | Player | Position | Left-Handed or Right-Handed |
|---|---|---|---|
1. | Jose Altuve | Left Field | Right-Handed |
2. | Isaac Paredes | Third Base | Right-Handed |
3. | Yordan Alvarez | Designated Hitter | Left-Handed |
4. | Jon Singleton | First Base | Left-Handed |
5. | Chas McCormick | Right Field | Right-Handed |
6. | Jeremy Pena | Shortstop | Right-Handed |
7. | Yainer Diaz | Catcher | Right-Handed |
8. | Jake Meyers | Center Field | Right-Handed |
9. | Mauricio Dubon | Second Base | Right-Handed |
When looking at their lineup, the top of the order should remain the same, with Jose Altuve, Isaac Paredes, and Yordan Alvarez leading the way in the top three spots, much like they have throughout the spring. Walker had primarily batted third or fourth this spring. When Walker didn't play, Jon Singleton did in the No. 4 spot. So, we'll slot Singleton there for Opening Day.
Outside of those four, the remaining five spots in the lineup are interchangeable. With Altuve looking to play left field, that means the Astros could use Maurico Dubon more often in the lineup. From there, we can expect Chas McCormick and Jake Meyers in the remaining starting outfield spots. Finally, Yainer Diaz slots in as the starting catcher.
The absences of Bregman and Tucker are notable, especially with Walker out. We'll see just how much time the first baseman could miss due to the oblique injury.