What Would the Astros' Infield Look Like Without Christian Walker

The Houston Astros are heading into the 2027 season with a crowded infield. While there are many ways to handle this, one option is to trade Christian Walker.

The Astros' first baseman, while a power hitter, has struggled with consistency recently. He is known to go through slumps, and those slumps could cut his time with the Astros short.

With Carlos Correa returning, the infield is crowded. With Correa out for most of the 2026 season, the Astros had to make some adjustments, but his return creates another question about where everyone will play. 

Correa suffered an ankle injury during pregame batting practice before the victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers. After further review, it was decided that Correa needed surgery and would likely be out for the season.

The injury also created a ripple effect across the infield, and Isaac Paredes stepped up and became a key piece.

For Correa, this was one of the toughest setbacks of his career. Aside from the injury itself, it was a frustrating blow for a player who had just returned to Houston to help lead the team.

With the infield expected to be healthy, what will their lineup look like for 2027?

Correa played both shortstop and third base this year before the injury. At one point, Jeremy Peña and Correa were both injured at the same time, giving Nick Allen, whose natural position is shortstop, some time there. But with everyone healthy, where do you fit all these players?

If Walker is traded, that frees up a spot in the infield. Paredes could move to first base, allowing Correa to take back third. Instead of shifting players through the designated hitter role to make room for everyone, Houston could deal with its crowded infield with one trade.

Without Walker, the Astros could have Paredes at first base, Jose Altuve at second, Jeremy Peña at shortstop, and Correa at third. That would give Houston a way to keep all four players in the infield without having to move one of them to designated hitter. The Astros’ former general manager Dana Brown did talk about Paredes playing third or first back in 2024 when they first got him. 

Of course, trading Walker would mean losing an experienced first baseman who still brings power to the lineup. But if Houston decides to move him, the team already has a potential solution for how to rearrange its infield for the 2027 season.