Ranking the available free agent first basemen for the Astros after the 2024 season

The future of third base for the Houston Astros is obviously a hot topic, as it involves a franchise icon in Alex Bregman. Where Bregman ends up playing is likely to be THE storyline of the offseason for the Astros, but they really need to figure out their first base situation this offseason as well.

Jose Abreu cratering once he put on a Houston uniform was definitely not ideal, and it is unclear how the Astros should proceed at first. Jon Singleton almost certainly isn't the answer, but a number of teams have gone the route of considering first base as a spot where multiple players are rotated in and out. This gives certain standout bats playing time with little regard for the defensive side of the position. The Astros themselves tried some of that, playing Victor Caratini over there a good bit in 2024 when Singleton proved to not be an everyday option.

While there are still internal options Houston could consider for first base in 2025, the focus here is going to be on the free agent options that best fit what the Astros need.

Here are best free agent first base options for the Astros ranked by fit

There are a lot of moving parts this offseason. If the Astros do bring back Bregman, then the more expensive names just aren't going to be on the table, unless Houston finds a way to shed a significant amount of 2025 payroll. We are going to provide first base free agent options for each Bregman contingency, but just keep in mind that there are probably going to be some forced choices here based on what happens elsewhere in the Astros' offseason.

Christian Walker

Without question, Walker is the ideal option for the Astros among the available free agents at first base. He won't be as expensive as Pete Alonso, and is far more likely to actually be on the market than the Polar Bear. The rest of the first base class features a lot of stopgap-type guys (more on one of those in a second). Current predictions have Walker getting a three year deal in the neighborhood of $72 million (which is real money), but it wouldn't be too surprising to see him get less than that, given how the market values first basemen these days. If Bregman returns, Walker is probably off the table.

Justin Turner

Assuming a world where Bregman returns and the Astros' payroll is going to be constrained by owner Jim Crane, Turner could be an intriguing option. He will almost certainly have to settle for a one-year deal at his age, but he still performed pretty well in 2024 with a .737 OPS, despite not being anywhere near the player he once was. He is also widely regarded as a great clubhouse leader. One potential hangup could be that Turner's comments about the Astros' sign-stealing scandal may mean hurt feelings on both sides, but Houston could do far worse amongst the stopgap free agent options available.

Pete Alonso

The Astros have openly flirted with bringing Alonso in for a while now, and that is what gets him on this list. He is one of the game's premier home run or bust players and is a near lock to hit 35+ homers every season for the foreseeable future, unless he gets hurt. However, the cost to actually sign him is likely to be prohibitive for Houston, and Alonso seems to really want to stay with the Mets. Never say never, especially given the level of interest Houston has had in the past, but Alonso is an imperfect hitter that is going to be very expensive, if he ends up available at all.

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