Dana Brown has just set the stage for a potential drama during the Houston Astros' spring training. With less than a week to go before pitchers and catchers report to West Palm Beach, the general manager has yet to resolve a roster situation that’s become increasingly tangled throughout the offseason.
Despite the ongoing trade speculation, both Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes remain part of the 40-man roster. The Astros seem to have a clear preference: they appear eager to retain Paredes while looking to offload Walker. However, other teams in the league haven’t shown much interest in making a deal.
When asked about the likelihood of trading one of his corner infielders, Brown's response was both uncomfortable and telling. "As of now, both players are still on our roster, and we have plans for them to participate," he stated on Tuesday. "At this moment, our strategy includes having both of them with us."
It’s crucial for the Astros to find a trade partner for either Christian Walker or Isaac Paredes before Opening Day rolls around. In case you missed it, Brown's comment about expecting both players to report to camp raises some eyebrows. If that's the case, he might want to make some calls urgently to avoid any complications down the line.
Walker’s inaugural season with Houston certainly didn’t unfold as anticipated. Although his post-All-Star break performance included a .250 batting average, .312 on-base percentage, and a .488 slugging percentage—resulting in a 120 wRC+—the excitement surrounding his signing has diminished significantly. Fans are clearly growing restless. Meanwhile, every other team in Major League Baseball witnessed his struggles too, and considering he still has $40 million remaining on his contract, it's understandable why opposing general managers may hesitate to pursue him.
On the flip side, Paredes is a player the Astros have admired for years, finally acquiring him last winter. His hitting style complements Daikin Park perfectly, and while the team has no intention of trading him, they are likely to receive a more favorable return for him compared to Walker.
As noted by Chandler Rome of The Athletic, this scenario is starting to echo the former Ryan Pressly-Josh Hader saga, which ended unfavorably for fans. They know all too well how that story concluded.
This predicament could have been avoided, but it’s rapidly approaching a critical threshold. If both Walker and Paredes show up at the Astros' spring training facility later this month, every lineup alteration, at-bat, and error will be under intense scrutiny. Media inquiries won’t cease until one of these players is no longer part of the roster.
The current roster is cluttered, and it’s high time for Brown to engage in some serious spring cleaning. One of Walker or Paredes must go before this situation becomes explosive.
