A key free agent has been taken off the market for the New York Yankees. Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported on Friday that free agent first baseman Christian Walker and the Houston Astros were in advanced negotiations for a contract. Walker is said to be finalizing a three-year, $60 million deal with Houston.
Christian Walker signs a deal with the Astros
The Yankees will now need to shift their focus to other free agents after failing to reach a deal with Walker to address their first base issue.
The Yankees showed strong interest in the 33-year-old infielder, who hit .251 with 26 home runs and posted a 119 wRC+ with the Arizona Diamondbacks last season. Walker’s impressive power made him one of the most desirable free agents on the market.
Although the Yankees and Walker held discussions during the Winter Meetings, those talks eventually stalled. Now, one of their biggest American League rivals has secured him, taking him away from New York.
The Yankees will pivot toward other players in the market
Missing out on Walker isn’t a disaster for the Yankees, as the addition of Cody Bellinger gives them the flexibility to pursue either an infielder or an outfielder. The team has also shown interest in other first basemen, including trade targets Josh Naylor and Paul Goldschmidt, as well as free agent Pete Alonso.
Furthermore, the Astros’ signing of Walker could open the door for the Yankees to sign third baseman Alex Bregman. With Walker now in Houston, Bregman’s return to the Astros seems unlikely, as Isaac Parades is expected to take over as the starting third baseman, following his acquisition from the Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade last week.
If the Yankees were to sign Bregman, they could shift Jazz Chisholm back to his natural position at second base. New York also has the option to add a first baseman via trade or promote Ben Rice to take over as the everyday first baseman.
Despite missing out on Walker to the Astros, the Yankees will now focus on other available players in the market.
