Astros insider just braced fans for major trade before Opening Day

The Houston Astros have been tied to the trade market throughout the offseason. Players like Jesús Sanchez and Jake Meyers have appeared in numerous trade rumors, but the two names that continue to draw the most attention this winter have been Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes.

The Astros boxed themselves into a corner last summer after acquiring Carlos Correa from the Minnesota Twins. While this sentimental trade brought back a key member of the Astros' World Championship team, it also created a logjam in the infield.

The duo of Walker and Paredes have essentially been relegated to first base only, but Astros insider Chandler Rome doesn't foresee this roster conundrum spilling over into the regular season. During an appearance on the Foul Territory podcast, Rome suggested that one of Walker or Paredes will be traded, and fans should expect it to happen before the 2026 season gets underway.

Astros have to make a choice between Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes before Opening Day

"I'd be surprised if they break camp...with this glut of infielders on the roster. It just seems untenable to a point where you don't have everyday playing time for Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker," Rome said. "Joe Espada reaffirmed at FanFest that Jose Altuve will spend most of his season at second base. Yordan Alvarez will spend the majority of his season at DH...Those are really the only other two positions Isaac Paredes can play."

This isn't breaking news. Anyone who follows the Astros knows that the easiest solution to Houston's abundance of infielders is to trade either Walker or Paredes, with the latter being the most likely to be dealt.

While the idea of trading Paredes rather than Walker is far less popular with the Houston faithful, it remains the most prudent move to make. The Astros will have a whale of time trying to trade Walker (and his $40 million contract). Doing so would be selling the former Gold Glover at his lowest value, and would also likely force them to cover a good chunk of his remaining salary.

Paredes, on the other hand, is likely to be far more coveted. He's eight years younger, the more versatile of the two players, and his contract status is much more team-friendly. As such, Houston's return if they decide to deal Paredes would be far more lucrative than if they traded Walker.

Rome is right about one thing — this situation is untenable. Whether it's Walker or Paredes, the Astros can't afford to go into the 2026 season with both players still on the roster.