Christian Walker, Fatherhood, and First Base: Navigating a Crowded Astros Infield
**WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. ** - Christian Walker walks into spring training with a smile that tells two stories.
One is personal - his 7-month-old daughter, Etta James Walker, is crawling, grinning, and beginning to recognize her dad’s face. The other is professional - a bit more complicated, involving trade rumors, positional logjams, and a bounce-back season that could help define the Astros’ 2026 campaign.
For Walker, the offseason was less about roster speculation and more about baby milestones. He and his wife, Amanda, embraced their new life as parents, leaning into a homebody lifestyle that suits them just fine. But as spring begins, so does the business of baseball - and Walker knows that business well.
“I try to stay out of it as much as I can,” he said of the swirling trade talk. “Just a better headspace for the offseason, you know.
It’s part of it. A very realistic part of the business.
But as far as I’m concerned, this is home and I’m looking forward to this year.”
That perspective comes from 11 seasons in the majors - enough time to understand how quickly things can change, and how little is guaranteed. He trusted that if anything serious was developing, general manager Dana Brown or new manager Joe Espada would loop him in. So far, silence.
That doesn’t mean the Astros are standing pat. According to multiple team sources, Houston remains engaged in trade discussions - most of them revolving around Isaac Paredes, the talented third baseman who found himself displaced after Carlos Correa returned at last year’s deadline. With Jose Altuve locked in at second, and Correa at short, first base is the only real option left for Paredes - and that’s where Walker wants to be.
“My goal is to play every day, be the everyday first baseman,” Walker said. “That’s kind of where I’m at with it.”
But that’s easier said than done. With Paredes still on the roster, there’s not enough room for both players to get everyday reps. And while Walker brings veteran leadership and clubhouse presence, the numbers suggest that, as currently constructed, Houston’s best lineup includes Paredes over Walker.
Walker sees the bigger picture.
“We’re talking about potentially what to do with another really good player and a really good bat and a high value to a team that won us a lot of games last year and is going to win us games this year,” he said. “It’s a little bit of a puzzle, but I think it’s going to make the team stronger.”
That puzzle, though, comes with financial implications. Paredes is younger, cheaper, and coming off a stronger season.
Walker, meanwhile, is owed $40 million and coming off a down year. His contract includes a limited no-trade clause, allowing him to block deals to six teams - which further complicates things.
According to league sources, there hasn’t been much trade interest in Walker, which makes sense given the numbers.
In 2025, he posted just 0.2 WAR, struck out at a league-high 27.7% rate among qualified first basemen, and had one of the lowest OPS marks at the position. But there were signs of life.
Despite the struggles, Walker still led the Astros with 27 home runs. And after a brutal first half (.660 OPS in his first 90 games), he rebounded with a .799 OPS after the All-Star break - a split that gives the Astros hope that his early-season woes were more of an outlier than a trend.
Walker spent the offseason digging into the differences.
“Poor posture,” he said, pointing to the root of his early-season swing issues. “When my posture’s not in a good spot, my bat path does weird things.”
Post-break, he found a more consistent launch position, one that allowed him to drive the ball in the air and make better swing decisions. He’s taking that into camp, along with a few new tweaks - including experimenting with a toe tap in his stance to improve timing. He also dropped 10 to 12 pounds this winter, focusing on nutrition and agility after a rough defensive season.
“You want to be there for your guys, and you want to be in a good spot and prepare for them because you owe that to them as a teammate,” Walker said.
That’s the kind of accountability that’s earned Walker respect in the clubhouse. He talks about drawing motivation from teammates like Carlos Correa and Jeremy Peña - knowing they’re grinding just as hard fuels his own work. And despite the trade chatter, Walker’s message hasn’t wavered.
“I love it here. I want to be here,” he said. “A lot of where I draw motivation from is for the guys in this room.”
The Astros are still weighing their options. Trading Paredes would clear the logjam and bring back meaningful value.
But it would also be a bet - a bet that Walker can recapture his form and hold down first base for a contender. It’s a gamble, sure.
But Walker’s approach is steady, grounded in experience and a clear sense of purpose.
“I’m here for the team. I’m here to win a World Series,” he said.
“Whatever happens in between now and winning that World Series is the way it is. We’ll be all right.
“I’m planning on playing first base this season and very much looking forward to it.”
Spring is here. The baby’s crawling. And Christian Walker, ever the pro, is ready to get to work - one swing, one step, one day at a time.