AL West

Having been one of the best all-around first baseman in MLB for the past three seasons, Christian Walker has cashed in with a deal from the Houston Astros.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand first reported the two sides agreed to terms. USA Today's Bob Nightengale added it's a three-year deal worth $60 million.

It took a long time for Walker to finally get an extended look in the big leagues. He was originally a fourth-round draft pick by the Baltimore Orioles in 2012, but he only appeared in 13 MLB games before being waived before the start of spring training in 2017.

The Cincinnati Reds claimed Walker off waivers in March 2017, but he was waived by the club a few weeks later. The Arizona Diamondbacks added him to their roster, starting him out in Triple-A.

After trading Paul Goldschmidt to the St. Louis Cardinals in December 2018, Walker became Arizona's starting first baseman in 2019. He had a breakout season with a .259/.348/.476 slash line and 29 homers in 152 games.

Since the start of the 2022 season, Walker's average year has seen him hit .250/.332/.481 with 32 homers and 94 RBI. He has won three straight Gold Glove awards from 2022 to '24 and finished 23rd in NL MVP voting in 2023.

Walker is one of four first baseman who has been worth at least 10 FanGraphs' wins above replacement over the past three seasons (10.4). He ranks behind only Freddie Freeman (18.6), Matt Olson (12.3) and Goldschmidt (10.6).

Despite being an older free agent—he will turn 34 on March 28—Walker's all-around ability should allow him to age more gracefully than a traditional power-first hitter at first base.

Given how difficult it can be to find quality power hitters at a relatively affordable cost on the open market, Walker is a great addition for the Astros in their quest to make the playoffs in 2025.

The Astros are an impossible team to figure out. Trading Kyle Tucker while Alex Bregman remains a free agent would suggest they are planning to take a step back in 2025.

Instead, the move to sign Walker at least swings the pendulum back in favor of planning to compete next season. It also comes after they tried to trade for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, but he invoked his no-trade clause to block the move.

Whatever the big-picture plan is in Houston, Walker absolutely fills a huge need for the team next season. Jon Singleton, who hit .234/.321/.386 with 13 homers in 2024, was penciled in as the starting first baseman.

Astros manager Joe Espada can plug Walker into the No. 4 spot in the lineup, behind Jose Altuve, Isaac Paredes and Yordan Alvarez. That's a very good quartet at the top of the order with all four players having an on-base percentage of at least .335 last season.

Paredes and Walker could see a spike in their power playing home games in Houston with the Crawford Boxes in left field being just 315 feet away from home plate.

Despite an unusual approach to roster-building this offseason, the Astros still look formidable on paper. They should be favored to win the AL West for the fifth consecutive year.

Among the many indications that have made it apparent Alex Bregman is unlikely to return to the Houston Astros is the team's unwillingness to be flexible with their contract offer to the two-time All-Star.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Astros "don't want to stretch" their offer to Bregman beyond six years.

MLB.com's Brian McTaggart noted on Dec. 13 that Houston's formal offer to the star third baseman is for roughly $156 million over six years.

While that would be the richest contract by total value in Astros history, it seems like a lower offer than Bregman will end up getting on the open market. Passan noted he could end up signing for around $200 million.

Houston seems to be making moves with an eye toward not having Bregman on the roster. The team acquired Isaac Paredes, whose primary position is third base, from the Chicago Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade.

The Astros also tried to make a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals for Nolan Arenado, but he used his no-trade clause to block the move, per McTaggart, Mark Feinsand, John Denton.

MLB.com's report noted talks between the Astros and Cardinals are "ongoing," but the Astros aren't optimistic about Arenado changing his mind.

Even though Bregman has been a staple of Houston's lineup during the most successful period in franchise history, not wanting to budge on its six-year offer isn't necessarily a bad move.

Bregman's offensive production has been trending downward recently. He is hitting .261/.341/.446 since the start of the 2023 season after posting a .277/.375/.497 slash line.

This isn't to say that Bregman won't continue to be a good player for the next few years, but there are indications he may be entering the downside of his peak.

Trading away Tucker when he was still under team control for one more year may have been an indication the Astros might be starting to turn the page on this most recent era and start building toward whatever the next great version of this roster will look like.

Seattle Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo is a hot commodity on the offseason trade market.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the right-handed starting pitcher has been checked in on by the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets.

"His durability and 3.56 career ERA are two reasons the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets are among the teams to at least inquire on him, according to league sources and reports," Rosenthal wrote.

Castillo went 11-12 with a 3.64 ERA and 175.1 innings in 2024. The 31-year-old is a three-time All-Star and is under contract through 2027 with a vesting option for 2028.

He comes with years of control and has been healthy in recent seasons, adding to his value. All of the team's that checked in on him could benefit from his experience and durability, although his no-trade clause makes his next destination more controllable if he were to get dealt.

The Cubs recently landed Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker via a trade and have been reported to still be seeking a starting pitcher on the trade market. Chicago has a solid farm system and could look to deal from some of it to bring Castillo to the friendly confines.

The Red Sox made a splash and acquired Chicago White Sox lefty Garrett Crochet to headline the rotation. Another arm would help stabilize the rotation and allow Boston to push forward in the AL East.

The Orioles made the playoffs for a second consecutive season and have a young core that is shaping up to be one of the best in MLB. The team also could lose ace Corbin Burnes, who still sits in free agency and is the top arm available.

The Mets made the move of the offseason by signing outfielder Juan Soto to the biggest contract in MLB history. The franchise has also added multiple arms via the open market and dealing for Castillo would help New York remain a force in the NL.

The New York Yankees have "real" interest in signing free agent third baseman Alex Bregman, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

Hearing more buzz connecting Yankees to Alex Bregman. Interest is real.

— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) December 11, 2024

There’s a sense that Alex Bregman could be the next big free agent to sign. The Astros, Red Sox, Yankees and Tigers are among those in the mix, per sources.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 11, 2024

Bregman earned his first Gold Glove with the Houston Astros in 2024 after leading AL third baseman with a .972 fielding percentage.

The Astros have already offered Bregman a six-year deal worth approximately $156 million to return to Houston, MLB.com's Brian McTaggart previously reported.

DJ LeMahieu began the season at third base but batted just .183 through 41 games before getting moved from the position in late July.

At that point, the Yankees had just acquired Jazz Chisholm Jr., a former second baseman turned outfielder, in a midseason trade from the Miami Marlins.

Chisholm played third base for the first time in his MLB career in his second game with the Yankees. He ended up remaining in the position for the rest of the season.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone has said he would be "more than comfortable" heading into the 2025 season with Chisholm remaining at third base.

But the ideal outcome for the Yankees would likely be acquiring an experienced third baseman, allowing Chisholm to slide back to second base and therefore filling the infield gap left behind by the potential departure of Gleyber Torres in free agency.

There is some history between the Yankees and Bregman, who was a key member of the 2017 Astros team that eliminated New York from the ALCS and was later penalized by MLB for sign-stealing. Bregman's connection to that team "would not stop the Yankees from pursuing him," sources told MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

Another potential option for the Yankees' third base needs could be St. Louis Cardinals star Nolan Arenado, although the team is not on the list of six finalists Arenado would be willing to waive his no-trade clause for, according to MLB.com's John Denton.

The Houston Astros are discussing trading Kyle Tucker to the New York Yankees in exchange for AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman.

The Astros are also talking over a potential Tucker trade with the Chicago Cubs that would involve Seiya Suzuki and Isaac Paredes, per Heyman.

Tucker has one year left under arbitration on his expiring contract. He missed three months with a shin injury last season but still recorded 23 home runs and 49 RBI in 78 games for the Astros. Spotrac projects him to receive $16.7 million next season.

Gil meanwhile became the first Yankees player since Aaron Judge to earn a ROY nod by recording a 15-7 record and 3.50 ERA in 29 starts. He allowed 104 hits and 77 walks while striking out 171 batters through 151 2/3 innings.

He similarly has one year remaining under arbitration and is estimated to earn $800,000 next season by Spotrac.

Astros general manager Dana Brown has previously indicated that the Astros would only trade Bregman if it made them more competitive going forward. The team could be considering securing an extension for Gil as part of their future plans.

The Astros have a few questions to answer regarding their rotation after veteran starter Justin Verlander hit free agency following the 2024 season.

Yusei Kikuchi, who briefly joined the Astros as a mid-season rental in 2024, is also headed out of Houston after signing with the Los Angeles Angels in free agency.

The Astros could be set to start the season without Lance McCullers Jr., who has not yet returned from right flexor tendon surgery in summer of 2023, as well as Cristian Javier, who underwent right elbow surgery in June.

The Yankees meanwhile have an apparent surplus of starting pitchers after adding Max Fried in free agency.

With Gerrit Cole and Fried at the top of the rotation, the Yankees currently hold Gil alongside Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, Nestor Cortes and Marcus Stroman on a list of seven potential starters.

Verlander could still return to the Astros, with whom Brown has confirmed he is having talks. However, he is turning 42 in February, so Houston could decide to target young pitching talent this offseason regardless of his free agency decision.

The Chicago Cubs are "a strong player" to acquire outfielder Kyle Tucker in a trade with the Houston Astros, Joel Sherman reported for the New York Post.

The New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies have also expressed interest in Tucker, according to Sherman.

Tucker missed almost three months with a shin fracture last season but still batted .289 with 23 home runs and 49 RBI in 78 appearances for the Astros. He is projected to make $16.7 million in his final year under arbitration by Spotrac.

The acquisition of Tucker would help the Cubs fill their outfield should the club succeed in a rumored goal to trade one or both of Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki this offseason.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer recently indicated that the club has discussed increasing spending on offense after prioritizing defense with players like Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson and Pete Crow-Armstrong, per Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic.

"Especially up the middle, when you have Nico, Dansby and Pete, a lot of our salary and WAR is wrapped in our defense," Hoyer said, per Mooney and Sharma. "It's a fair (question) and something we talk about, for sure."

Should the Cubs decide to add more offense in 2025, Tucker would be a strong candidate.

He recorded one home run per 14.7 plate appearances in 2024, ranking third in efficiency only to Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani over his shortened season, according to the MLB Network.

Tucker's home run totals would have ranked him as the Cubs' leader in each of the prior three seasons, and his 23 homers during his injury-shortened 2024 campaign would have ranked him second only to Ian Happ.

The Cubs have built one of the most well-stocked farm systems in the MLB and are ready to begin contending. Manager Craig Counsell said in September that the Cubs "should be trying to build 90-win teams" going forward.

Adding Tucker could represent a step toward that goal, but there is no guarantee the Astros will decide to trade him at all.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported on Monday that the Astros would be "comfortable" with Tucker playing out his contract in Houston.

That choice would not be out of character for the Astros, who kept Alex Bregman on an expiring contract last season rather than seek a trade for the All-Star third baseman.

When telling reporters last December that the club wasn't interested in trading Bregman, general manager Dana Brown said that Phillies were "trying to win here."

Brown was slightly less bullish when discussing the possibility of trading players like Tucker this offseason. He said earlier this week that the Astros would "listen on anybody," according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle.

The general manager added, however, that the Astros didn't want to make deals that wouldn't help them win the AL West and return to the postseason. The Cubs could potentially use their prospect pool in order to construct an offer that matches that criteria.

Veteran pitcher Nathan Eovaldi is returning for a third season with the Texas Rangers.

Eovaldi, who played a key role in the Rangers' 2023 World Series victory, agreed to a three-year, $75 million contract to stay in Texas, according to FanSided's Robert Murray and ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The right-hander previously declined a $20 million vesting option that would have kept him with the Rangers through the 2025 season.

Eovaldi played the last two seasons on a two-year deal worth an average salary of $16 million, with a $2 million signing bonus and other extras including $4.5 million in innings pitched bonuses, per Spotrac.

He had reportedly received free agency interest from the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles before deciding to return to the Rangers.

Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young said after Eovaldi declined the vesting option that the Rangers "still have great interest in bringing him back" for another season, leading to the team agreeing to a raise to keep him in Arlington.

Eovaldi made 29 starts in 2024, going 12-8 with a 3.80 ERA as the Rangers finished 78-84 and missed the postseason.

He was the pitcher of record in the Rangers' World Series-clinching Game 5 over the Arizona Diamondbacks, during which he allowed no earned runs in six innings to lead Texas to a 5-0 win.

Keeping Eovaldi in the rotation will help the Rangers brace for the potential free agency losses of Andrew Heaney, who led the team with 31 starts in 2024, as well as three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer.

Reliever David Robertson, who declined a mutual option to stay with the Rangers for 2025, and free agent closer Kirby Yates are also hitting free agency this winter.

Eovaldi will join a rotation also staffed by Jacob deGrom, Cody Bradford, Jon Gray and Tayler Mahle. The Rangers will hope to have both deGrom and Mahle for the start of the 2025 season after they were limited in 2024 amid recovery from elbow surgery.

The Rangers' hopes of making it back to the postseason hinge in part on further success from Eovaldi and deGrom, who is locked in through 2027 with a club option for 2028.

Eovaldi has thrown 314 2/3 innings to mark a 24-13 record and 3.72 ERA in 54 appearances over two seasons with the Rangers.

He holds a career ERA of 4.07 after appearing in 13 MLB campaigns with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox. He also won a World Series title with the Red Sox in 2018.

The New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs "have shown interest" in Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker amid the MLB winter meetings in Dallas, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

Tucker has one year remaining under arbitration before he is scheduled to hit free agency in 2026. The Astros would be "comfortable" with him playing out the contract in Houston, per Morosi.

The Cubs and Yankees have shown interest in Kyle Tucker, but the Astros are comfortable with him remaining in Houston for his walk year -- as Alex Bregman did in 2024. https://t.co/1lmldmvrjj

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 10, 2024

Tucker was sidelined for three months of the 2024 season with a fractured shin. He still earned his third straight All-Star nod while slashing .289/.408/.585 with 23 home runs and 49 RBI in 78 games.

The Astros star was one of the most efficient home-run hitters in the MLB during his shortened season. As noted by the MLB network, Tucker recorded one home run per 14.7 plate appearances last season, ranking him third only to the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani.

That could make him an appealing candidate for the Yankees as the club works on replacing Juan Soto, who signed a record-breaking deal with the New York Mets this weekend after recording a career-high 41 home runs in 2024.

The Cubs, meanwhile, are reportedly considering trading Cody Bellinger and could use Tucker to replace him in the lineup should they complete a deal for the outfielder.

When asked about whether the Astros would listen to trades for either Tucker or pitcher Framber Valdez, general manager Dana Brown told reporters on Monday that the club will "listen on anybody" (h/t Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle.)

"If it doesn't make sense, we wouldn't do it," Brown said on Monday, per Kawahara. "So it really would have to make sense. Because right now we're a good team, and we're not motivated to move any of these guys."

Brown added: "We will not make any trades that don't make sense in terms of winning the division, getting back to the postseason and all that. We're not trying to break the team down. So the trade would have to make sense in that we're not weakening our club."

There is still a "higher chance" that the Astros decide to keep Tucker in their batting order than trade him ahead of the 2025 season, Morosi said on the MLB Network broadcast.

But Morosi noted that free-agent prices are "high" this season, and that could encourage more interest in trades. Brown will have to decide if the increasing market prices lead to any offers worth losing the final season on Tucker's deal.

Tucker has played all seven seasons of his MLB career in Houston and helped the team win the World Series in 2022. Should he leave this winter the Astros would be left with a gap to address in their batting lineup and outfield.

The Houston Astros are reportedly open to hearing trade offers for two of their players this offseason.

Per The Athletic's Chandler Rome, Houston is "receiving trade inquiries" about outfielder Kyle Tucker and is open to dealing him along with starting pitcher Framber Valdez.

"Multiple people familiar with the club's thinking said (general manager Dana) Brown is open to dealing one of Tucker or starter Framber Valdez, both of whom are set to make more than $15 million during their final trip through the arbitration process," Rome wrote.

Astros general manager Dana Brown made it clear Houston isn't in a rush to trade anyone but is willing to listen to offers from other teams.

"We're not trying to aggressively move anybody out the door, but if someone wants to talk, that's part of being at the Winter Meetings," Brown said, per Rome. "Sometimes guys will think outside the box and say, 'Hey would you guys do this guy or that guy.' If it doesn't make sense, we wouldn't do it. It would really have to make sense. We're a good team and we're not motivated to move any of these guys."

Tucker, who will be 28 by the start of the 2025 season, had 23 home runs, 49 RBI, a .289 batting average and a .993 OPS last season despite playing just 78 games. In his last healthy season in 2023, Tucker had 29 homers and 112 RBI.

Given his age and caliber, a trade for Tucker could likely result in a haul of talented prospects.

The same goes for Valdez, who had the sixth-best ERA in the majors at 2.91 and recorded a 15-7 record across 28 appearances.

Brown also seems confident that the Astros would manage without either Tucker or Valdez saying he thinks Houston could win the division without one of the stars.

The Astros, two years removed from their last World Series victory, failed to reach the divisional series for the first time since 2016 last season and are searching for ways to improve. Parting with one of their key players could be an answer.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada's top priority is keeping third baseman Alex Bregman in an Astros uniform.

"(Alex Bregman) is our No. 1 priority and I think that we're going to do everything in our power for him to put that Astros uniform on and never again put another uniform on," Espada said on MLB Tonight.

"[Alex Bregman] is our #1 priority and I think that we're going to do everything in our power for him to put that Astros uniform on and never again put another uniform on."

- Astros manager Joe Espada

📺 #MLBTonight presented by @CohnReznick pic.twitter.com/7yyqHiO1rn

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 9, 2024

The 30-year-old out of LSU has spent all nine of his professional years with the Astros, earning a Gold Glove with the team in 2024 and a Silver Slugger in 2019.

He has a career total of 191 home runs, 663 RBI and a .272 batting average. Last season, he hit 26 home runs with 75 RBI and a .260 batting average for the 88-73 Astros, who finished first in the AL West.

According to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart, sources revealed that the Astros offered Bregman a six-year deal worth approximately $156 million last week, which would set a franchise record for the largest contract in team history. However, Bregman is believed to be seeking a deal closer to $200 million.

ALEX. BREGMAN. GRAND. SLAM. https://t.co/wWV5ac6XAN

— MLB (@MLB) October 27, 2019

Fellow Astros teammate Jose Altuve urged the organization to re-sign Bregman at the end of the season. While Astros owner Jim Crane acknowledged Altuve's plea, he remains cautious about committing to long-term contracts, sticking to strategies that have proven successful in the past.

"You have to be cognizant of that because the longer the contracts on the back end, it gets difficult to carry it and you decrease your ability to be competitive when you've got a lot of money tied up," Crane said in November, per McTaggart. "We have some money coming off the payroll next year, as you well know. We run it like a business, and we make good decisions."

After superstar Juan Soto officially left the market on Sunday night, the Astros are not the only team pursuing Bregman, who is now one of the most valuable assets available.

Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox are shifting gears after missing out on Soto and are now interested in pivoting toward Bregman.

"Per sources, one of the players the Red Sox might immediately be prioritizing is Alex Bregman," Rob Bradford of Audacy said, via Sports Illustrated's Jackson Roberts. "The longtime Astro - who will be 31 years old on Opening Day in 2025 - would necessitate surrendering a draft pick since he was tagged with a qualifying offer by Houston. But Bregman does check off a lot of key boxes for the Sox."

Alex Cora discussing how he always envisioned Alex Bregman playing in the middle of the diamond.

Couldn’t show him enough love for what he does defensively.

Interesting timing with the rumors of Bregman being an option at 2B today…

🎥: @_abigaiiiil

pic.twitter.com/T3kg8DKWKY

— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) December 9, 2024

The right-hander would be an ideal fit for the Red Sox if he could transition to second base, with Red Sox star Rafael Devers anchoring third. The team struggled with talent at the second base position last season.

"He hits from the right side, could slide in as the Sox' starting second baseman, a position he is open to playing, and represents the type of veteran leadership the Red Sox are looking to add, particularly among the position player group," Roberts said.