The Houston Astros thought they had a shiny new infielder in Nolan Arenado, but he blocked the trade that would've shipped him out from the St. Louis Cardinals. However, Houston pivoted to free-agent first baseman Christian Walker, who'll help stabilize its infield.

The Astros agreed to a three-year, $60 million deal with Walker on Friday, via USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

The Astros were negotiating with the Cardinals for Arenado, but the 10-time Gold Glover wouldn't waive his no-trade clause, via MLB.com. Houston then pivoted to Walker.

The 33-year-old's arrival means third baseman Alex Bregman almost certainly won't return, via The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. Walker will play first, with Isaac Paredes at third.

Additionally, Houston will lose draft capital, via Rome.

“Christian Walker declined a qualifying offer from the [Arizona] DBacks, so if a deal with the Astros gets done, Houston will lose its second and fifth-highest selections in the 2025 draft,” Rome said before the deal was finalized. “However, if/when Alex Bregman signs elsewhere, the Astros will get a comp pick after the fourth round.”

Walker spent the last eight seasons in Arizona after coming into the league with the Baltimore Orioles, where he played just 13 total games. The three-time Gold Glover broke out in 2019 with a .825 OPS, 29 homers, and 73 RBI across 152 contests. He continued to produce good power numbers, raking 36, 33, and 26 homers in '22, '23, and '24, respectively.

Will Walker succeed in Houston?

Christian Walker will be key piece of Astros lineup

Sep 25, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first base Christian Walker (53) doubles in the second inning against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field.
Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Christian Walker isn't the biggest name in baseball, but he's the type of reliable veteran that every contending team needs. Houston is no longer the powerhouse it was a few years ago, so it'll need him to produce now more than ever.

Walker will have less protection around him in the lineup than past Astros first basemen such as Yuli Gurriel. With star outfielder Kyle Tucker and most likely Bregman out of the fold, the offense won't be as deep as it used to be. However, Walker will still be surrounded by elite players like Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez, with shortstop Jeremy Pena providing another quality bat.

Even with the aforementioned departures, pitchers still won't be able to pitch around Walker thanks to the other talent that remains in Houston. If the Pennsylvania native continues to show the pop that made him the big bucks, he'll help make this new era fun for Astros fans.