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3) Houston Astros
The Houston Astros knew they needed a first base upgrade. After the disastrous tenure of Jose Abreu, they were willing to sign another aging player at the position. This time they chose Christian Walker. The other top first baseman in free agency this past offseason, he has been far less than the Astros were hoping for.
Walker’s first 239 trips to the plate have included a .212/.276/.369 slash line. He has 8 doubles, 8 home runs, and 27 RBI. These are fine numbers for a number seven hitter. Walker was a marquee signing by the Astros this offseason. The three-year $60 million deal is off to a bad start and feels like déjà vu with a little less calamity than the Abreu deal.
The Astros weren’t waiting around for Alonso as they inked Walker days before Christmas, perhaps an ode to the holiday or at least a very good PR stunt for the social marketing team. Walker was an acceptable Alonso alternative for many Mets fans. Three straight Gold Gloves alone made him worth consideration.
It would take a miracle for Walker to end up with numbers anything close to the pace Alonso is on. His strikeout rate of 27.6% is ridiculously high for a guy who was under 20% in back-to-back prime seasons during 2022 and 2023. Age seems to have caught up with Walker quicker than desired. Already 34, the Astros’ apparent disinterest in Alonso could be one reason why they’re neck-and-neck with the Mariners for an AL West crown.