Sep 27, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker (8) tosses his bat after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the ninth inning at Angel Stadium. Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Astros Didn't Get Boost from Christian Walker They Hoped for at First Base

Originally posted on Houston Astros on SI
By Maria Aldrich | Last updated Oct 5, 2025 9:00 AM ET

It's safe to say that the Houston Astros had a catastrophic season. Injuries plagued the franchise and they experienced a brutal collapse in the second half of their season. This wasn't an individual issue, but rather, it was consistently a team error.

"This is going to put a chip on our shoulders," said manager Joe Espada, per Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle (subscription required). "We are a postseason team. We are built to play in October. And it was disappointing that we're not playing today. I'm not happy about it. But also, we are learning from things that we could have done better, how can we improve our club."

One of the many improvements to be made involves the first base position. Years have gone by attempting to resolve issues in this area, but the Astros remain stumped without any true direction. After signing Christian Walker, the franchise hoped things would turn around, but they've remained in murky waters throughout the season, as Walker displayed what could be considered an underwhelming performance overall.

Christian Walker's Role at First Base

Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Christian Walker, 34, served as Houston's day-to-day first baseman throughout the regular season and appeared in 154 games. He finished off the season with an OPS of .718, far lower than the .803 OPS he posted under the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024. This year, he recorded 24 doubles, one triple, 27 home runs and slashed .238/.297/.421. He ended the season with a career high of 177 strikeouts.

"All things considered where I started, I'm proud of the season and how it's gone," Walker said in September, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic (subscription required). "I think it would've been easy to just roll over and accept a s—-year for what it is, but to get the homer totals up in the 20s — the average is hard to move once the bulk gets high enough — but all things considered, it's not the year I planned but I'm still proud of what I threw out there."

Currently signed to a three-year, $60 million contract as of December of 2024, the former Diamondbacks player has not been as impressive as many expected. It seems like another year has gone by with questions marks surrounding the Astros' first base position.

During the offseason, attention will need to be drawn to first base if they want to make a comeback in 2026. Walker is no longer in his prime, but his contract continues through 2027. Now is the time to tie up any loose ends and prepare for next season.

This article first appeared on Houston Astros on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: