The Houston Astros have been trying to figure out their infield logjam all offseason. While they’ve been linked to trade rumors, nothing has materialized yet this winter.
Isaac Paredes has drawn the most interest in trade talks, but as of now, there doesn’t seem to be an indication that they’ll find a trade. And he’s not the one the Houston front office wants to move on from.
According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, the Astros are still looking to trade one $60 million infielder, but are coming up empty. The update on this infielder, Christian Walker, is a brutal one for the Astros.
Astros get brutal trade update on Christian Walker
“According to one league source,” Rome reports, “trade interest in Walker remains almost nonexistent.”
Despite the Astros being more than willing to take on some of the money Walker is owed over the next two seasons, there aren’t any interested teams in trading for Walker.
He’s 34 years old, coming off a rough 2025 season, and is owed $40 million over the next two years. His $60 million, three-year deal has aged very poorly.
The longtime Arizona Diamondbacks slugger came to Houston and had his worst season in the Majors since 2018, before he became a full-time starter.
In 154 games, Walker hit .238 with a .717 OPS. His 97 OPS+ was the worst mark since 2021, and combined with poor defense at first base, Walker had a brutal 2025 season.
He had 27 home runs, 88 RBIs, and overall, wasn’t the worst player. But his 177 strikeouts were a career high, and his .297 on-base percentage was the first time he’s struggled so much in his career.
Walker isn’t garnering trade interest this offseason, despite him being the clear best option for the Astros to trade away in their crowded infield.
But, without any takers, the Astros might have a $20 million slugger sitting on the bench, or they might be forced to trade away a player like Paredes.
This update from Rome is a brutal one, as the Astros don’t have a feasible path to a trade with the player the front office would most likely want to trade the most.
