Astros Veteran Infielder's Contract Labeled Worst in Majors Entering Season

This is a contract that Houston would love to move at some point, but it won't be easy.

Houston Astros hat | William Purnell-Imagn Images

When the Houston Astros signed Christian Walker to a three-year, $60 million contract, general manager Dana Brown was hoping to strike it big at first base with a power-hitter. His first season with the Astros didn't go as planned.

He struggled at the plate and in the field, which left many wondering if Houston was going to look to move this past offseason. That was a topic with a handful of the surplus of infielders the Astros have, but Brown didn't decide to move on from any of them, yet. That may prove to be a wise decision after Jeremy Pẽna fractured the tip of his right ring finger.

As for Walker, he has two more years remaining of his deal that will pay him $20 million through next season. Whether or not he plays out the remainder of his contract with Houston remains to be seen, but if he does, they will need a bounce-back season from him in what Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly labeled as the Astros worst contract going into the 2026 season.

Christian Walker Tabbed As Astros Worst Contract for 2026

Christian Walker | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Not many, if any, Houston fans are going to argue that Walker is the worst contract on the books entering the 2026 season. That is solely based on the 2025 season that saw him slash .238/.297/.421 with 27 home runs and 88 RBIs. His WAR took a dramatic dip to 0.2, the worst one he's had in five years.

"Christian Walker's deal doesn't look nearly as bad as José Abreu's was, but posting a .717 OPS in the first season of a lucrative three-year deal isn't exactly encouraging. Even scarier is that the three-time Gold Glover had minus-seven defensive runs saved during his first season in Houston,'' wrote Kelly.

The 34-year-old needs a bounce-back season for the Astros. Walker didn't help Houston's cause in September in what turned into a September swoon that cost them not only the American League West Division title, but also a wild-card spot.

Brown and Houston are going to have to figure things out with Walker and somehow make it work over the next couple of seasons. If the Astros can trade him, they would, but there aren't going to be many, if any, takers out there for his contract. There are questions surrounding whether or not Houston has a talented enough roster to rebound to make the postseason in October, but if they are going to, they will need Walker to turn things around this summer.