Veteran free agent quietly undercuts Christian Walker’s trade appeal

The Houston Astros can't trade Christian Walker, but it's not for lack of trying. The Astros have dangled the once-threatening first baseman the entire offseason, but have gotten no traction whatsoever.

A lot of that has to do with Walker himself. A 99 wRC+, declining defense, and a bloated $20 million salary have landed the former Arizona Diamondback standout on Bleacher Report's All-Overpaid team. So while there are still teams that need a first baseman at this late juncture, the soon-to-be 35-year-old still isn't an attractive option.

Further hurting his market is the presence of an intriguing, if limited, free agent. Paul Goldschmidt might be a long way removed from his MVP days, but the 38-year-old still represents an intriguing alternative for first base-needy teams for a multitude of reasons.

Paul Goldschmidt's presence on the free-agent market further undermines the Astros' ability to trade Christian Walker

Goldschmidt is definitely entering the twilight of his career, but he proved last season that he still has something left in the tank. With that, he checks some boxes that Walker doesn't.

One of the extra appeals of Walker when he signed with Houston last winter was his supposedly solid glove work at the cold corner. That, too, proved to be fool's gold, with the veteran turning into a liability, posting -7 defensive runs saved (DRS) in 2025. Goldschmidt is a four-time Gold Glover, and while he's no longer an elite defensive player, he is a roughly average one, recording -1 DRS last year.

Goldschmidt also fills a niche. He played 146 games for the Yankees last season, but as the season went on, he took a back seat to promising youngster Ben Rice. One area where the seven-time All-Star was still ridiculously effective was against left-handed pitching.

Goldy mashed southpaws to the tune of a .336/.411/.570 line that was reminiscent of his MVP days. Walker, despite being a right-handed bat, was actually worse against lefties than he was against righties, slashing .248/.301/.397 despite having the platoon advantage. For a team like Goldschmidt's former club, the Diamondbacks, that is looking for a platoon partner for a lefty-swinging first baseman, that really matters.

Then there's the cost to consider. The Astros are right up against the luxury tax line, a mark Jim Crane vehemently doesn't want to cross, which is further motivation to dump Walker and as much of his salary as possible. The thing is, Goldschmidt will cost a fraction of what Walker will, even with Houston eating part of his contract.

Goldschmidt will most certainly settle for a one-year deal, while Walker's contract isn't up until after the 2027 season. Finally, Walker won't cost a lot in terms of prospects, but an opposing club would have to give up something versus just parting with some cash to sign Goldschmidt.

There's still a first base market between teams needing a platoon option, and other clubs who could move some pieces around to find room. The New York Mets, for example, could slot new acquisition Jorge Polanco in at DH instead of first, a position he's never played before, for the right player. Unfortunately, Walker doesn't fit that bill.

Despite Joe Espada's reassurances, trading Isaac Paredes is still the cleanest way for Houston to clear its infield glut while also cutting salary. Moving Walker is the dream, but as long as teams in need of first base help still have superior alternatives like Goldschmidt to turn to, they won't touch the Astros' bust with a ten-foot pole.

If the Astros want to make any more moves this offseason, that means resolving the logjam sooner rather than later, and if Paredes gets shipped out, trading Walker will no longer be on the table.