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The Houston Astros may have spent much of the offseason attempting to move Isaac Paredes, but if they don’t find the perfect deal, more and more people think the team may be looking for the wrong answer.

The Astros may need to change their plans and think about trading Christian Walker instead of forcing a Paredes trade.

Crawfish Boxes writer Patrick Creighton recently made that point. It shows something that has become increasingly evident as spring training goes on: Houston’s ability to trade Paredes is eroding.

Astros’ Trade Problem Is About Leverage

Houston has been looking into deals involving Paredes for months. The Boston Red Sox were one of the most talked-about options, and there was talk that outfielder Jarren Duran may be part of a comeback.

Creighton and The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal both said that talks between the Astros and Red Sox have come to a standstill.

The moves Boston made in the offseason only made things worse. The Red Sox strengthened their infield, making it harder for Houston to negotiate. Also, clubs in the league know that the Astros have a roster pinch with Paredes, Walker, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Jeremy Peña.

The price seldom ever goes down when the rest of the league realizes you need to make a move.

That’s why Creighton’s idea is important. If Houston really values Paredes as much as it says it does, it doesn’t make sense to trade him when they are weak.

Moving Walker Could Solve Multiple Issues

The case with Walker is different.

The veteran first baseman is owed almost $40 million over the next two seasons. He had a year that was a little bit up and down. He still hits home runs and plays strong defense, but his contract makes him harder to trade.

But just because something is hard doesn’t imply it can’t be done.

Creighton brings up a possible situation that ESPN analyst David Schoenfield discussed earlier. It would require sending Walker to the San Diego Padres in return for pitching help. Which could include prospect Bradgley Rodriguez.

Houston could get a lot of things done with that kind of agreement.

It would let Paredes play every day at first base. It would help the bullpen, as the Astros could need more right-handed depth behind Bryan Abreu. Even if the Astros had to pay some of Walker’s salary to make the trade happen, it would still free up some money.

That last point could be the most important one.

Creighton says that Houston should be willing to take on a large part of the contract if it means getting the proper player in return. It would be better to pay down payroll than to trade one of the team’s best hitters for less than they are worth.

The Astros may have put themselves in a tough spot.

The Astros are looking for an outfielder who can hit from the left side. But there aren’t many of those players available. In the meantime, their efforts to trade Paredes haven’t yielded the kind of return the front office seems to want.

At some point, the group has to choose between clearing the logjam and maximizing value from their roster.

Creighton firmly states that the Astros should prioritize the latter.

If the perfect deal for Paredes isn’t available, making the move will just weaken the team. Moving Walker instead, even if it means spending more money, could solve the playing-time problem while keeping a productive bat in the lineup.

Houston didn’t think things would go this way at first. But it might be the one that makes the most sense right now.

Alvin Garcia Born in Puerto Rico, Alvin Garcia is a sports writer for Heavy.com who focuses on MLB. His work has appeared on FanSided, LWOS, NewsBreak, Athlon Sports, and Yardbarker, covering mostly baseball. More about Alvin Garcia