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First baseman Christian Walker explained his decision to sign for the Houston Astros ahead of the 2025 season. After eight seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Walker moved on and headed to Space City for a deal worth $60 million for three years.
In Walker's unveiling as the latest Astro, the three-time Gold Glover told veteran newscaster Kevin Eschenfelder that he's excited to land in Houston.
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"When I think about showing up to a ballpark everyday and being excited to step on the field and play in front of a group of fans, this is the epitome of that," he said.
"The winning culture and expectation—everything about it is really exciting," Walker added.
When asked why he chose to sign with two-time World Series-winning organization, Christian Walker said that the Astros' mentality attracted him.
"The goal is to win everyday. But this expectation of playing the game the right way, playing it as hard as it can, doing the little things right and learning from the best hitters on this team is an exciting prospect."
Christian Walker was also asked about his experience when the D'backs played in the 2023 World Series. He shared that his aspirations to win titles is aligned with that of the Astros, who they have been synonymous with the Fall Classic in the past decade.
"It's exactly what I've been looking for. Another trip to the World Series is what keeps me motivated. It feels like it's attainable," he said.
Christian Walker's career stats
Christian Walker made his debut on Sept. 17, 2014, for the Baltimore Orioles. He spent two years with them before being claimed off waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017.
In the desert, the first baseman blossomed into one of the premier defensive talent in the league. Walker led all major league first baseman in fielding percentage in 2024. In 2019 and 2022, he led the majors in the Total Zone Total Fielding Runs Above Average. For his spectacular defensive acumen, he won the NL Gold Glove at first base.
Apart from his defensive prowess, Walker is also stable at the plate. He owns a .250/.330/.763 slash line with 147 home runs and 443 runs batted in across 832 games.
Given the high-octane Houston offense and its emphasis on producting at the plate, Walker's numbers should tick up as he starts his journey in Space City.
