It’s been a franchise-altering offseason for the Houston Astros.
Last week, the Astros traded three-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs for third baseman Isaac Paredes and two top prospects: 2024 first-round pick Cam Smith and pitcher Hayden Wesneski.
And now today, they signed first baseman Christian Walker to a reported three-year, $60 million deal. Walker, a 10-year veteran, has developed into one of the best all-around first basemen with the Arizona Diamondbacks over the last three seasons, winning three consecutive Gold Gloves. He’s also hit 95 home runs during that span with an .812 OPS and 123 OPS+ (meaning he’s 23% better than the league-average hitter).
Walker’s signing comes after the Astros released José Abreu in 2024 after playing just 176 games for the team in less than two seasons. Houston released Abreu, a former American League MVP, less than halfway through a disastrous three-year, $58.6 million deal.
With the acquisitions of Walker and Paredes, Alex Bregman’s tenure in Houston has come to an end after nine seasons. The homegrown talent was a two-time All-Star and two-time World Series winner with the Astros.
The Astros will look radically different in 2025 without Bregman and Tucker in their lineup, but they’re still one of the best teams in the AL West and will look to make the playoffs for a ninth consecutive season.
But will the Astros be a better team next season than they were in 2024? One top MLB insider doesn’t believe so.
MLB insider calls Houston Astros ‘lesser team’ after latest moves
Following Walker’s signing, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan chided the Astros for moving on from Tucker and Bregman.
“The Houston Astros have traded their best player, Kyle Tucker, and are letting go of Alex Bregman, who has the most WAR for them since his first full season in 2017. In the meantime, they will pay first basemen Christian Walker and José Abreu a combined $39.5 million in 2025,” Passan posted on X.
The Houston Astros have traded their best player, Kyle Tucker, and are letting go of Alex Bregman, who has the most WAR for them since his first full season in 2017. In the meantime, they will pay first basemen Christian Walker and José Abreu a combined $39.5 million in 2025.…
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 20, 2024
Passan called out the Astros for refusing to sign their homegrown talent beyond six years.
“The consequences of an unwillingness to go beyond six years on a contract reveal themselves in moments like this,” stated Passan. “Bregman and Tucker were drafted and developed by the Astros machine, which will struggle to retain its best talent as long as it places arbitrary restrictions on itself. This is an uncapped sport. The best players get more than six years in free agency.”
Even though the Astros should still make a playoff push in 2025, Passan calls them a “lesser team” now than they were in 2024.
“The Astros remain formidable. A team with Walker, Yordan Álvarez, José Altuve, Yainer Díaz, Jeremy Peña, Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, Josh Hader and more. They will be a contender and have the talent to win a World Series. But they are an objectively lesser team than last year, and that’s no small thing in a close AL West.”
Time will tell if the Astros will remain an elite franchise or have taken a step back.
Related: ‘Near-lock’ Houston Astros won’t trade All-Star pitcher in offseason, MLB insider reveals