Christian Walker, the newly signed first baseman for the Houston Astros, was unexpectedly removed from the lineup for a spring training match on Wednesday due to discomfort in his left oblique.
Last year, Walker was sidelined by Arizona for over a month due to a strained left oblique muscle. This offseason, he joined the Astros, securing a $60 million, three-year deal. In his initial quartet of spring training games with Houston, Walker demonstrated his capabilities by going 4 for 8, including three doubles, along with collecting two walks.
Acquiring a first baseman was a significant focus for the Astros following the release of José Abreu, who struggled to perform adequately and was let go midway through a $58.5 million, three-year contract.
Approaching his 34th birthday on March 28, Walker posted a .251 average with 26 home runs and 84 RBIs in 130 games while playing for the Diamondbacks last season. His defensive prowess was recognized as he secured his third consecutive Gold Glove at first base.
Throughout his Major League Baseball career spanning 832 games, Walker has maintained a .250 average with 147 home runs. The majority of his career has been with Arizona, over the last eight seasons, following his initial MLB games with Baltimore in 2014 and 2015.
Walker encountered two periods on the injured list back in 2021 because of issues with his right oblique. He resiliently participated in 160 games in 2022 and 157 in 2023, during which he managed an impressive tally of 69 home runs and drove in 197 runs combined.
