As the Houston Astros try to regain their place as the American League’s most dominant team in 2025, they suffered what could be, according to the Houston Chronicle, “a major blow” to that goal on Wednesday when the biggest free agent acquisition of their offseason went down with an injury — one that he’d suffered

The Astros can’t afford to lose Walker, who signed a three-year, $60 million contract in December. The three-time Gold Glove winner averaged 32 home runs, 94 RBI, and a .813 OPS for the Arizona Diamondbacks the last three years.

Walker has won three consecutive Gold Gloves and posted three straight seasons with an OPS+ over 120. That production earned him a $20 million annual payday from the Astros after a great run with the Diamondbacks. The offense will be carried by Walker, Jose Altuve, and Yordan Alvarez, which could be enough to replace Tucker.

A new-look Houston Astros team is gearing up for the 2025 regular season, and for the first time in about a decade, they are not a consensus frontrunner to win