The New York Yankees were widely regarded as the top contenders to sign Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker in free agency—a seemingly ideal fit for both sides. The Yankees had parted ways with Anthony Rizzo earlier in the offseason and were expected to pursue an affordable power hitter with strong defensive skills at first base. Given manager Aaron Boone’s struggles with infield defense last season, Walker, a two-time Gold Glove winner with a .813 OPS over the past three years, appeared to be a perfect match.
Projected to sign a three-year, $60 million deal, Walker’s contract demands aligned with the Yankees’ budget. However, instead of finalizing a deal with New York, Walker reportedly entered advanced negotiations with one of their biggest rivals, the Houston Astros. According to FanSided’s MLB insider Robert Murray, discussions between Walker and the Astros were nearing completion, with MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand describing them as “on the 10-yard line.”
Shortly after these developments, Jim Bowden of The Athletic confirmed that Walker had agreed to a three-year, $60 million contract with the Astros, pending a physical. Bob Nightengale of The New York Post added that Walker would take over at first base for Houston, while recent trade acquisition Isaac Paredes would move to third base. This shift likely marks the end of Alex Bregman’s tenure with the Astros and provides Houston with a much-needed solution to their struggles at first base in recent years.
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