Astros Acquire Carlos Correa, Trade Talks Include Christian Walker

The Houston Astros recently acquired Carlos Correa from the Minnesota Twins in a trade where the Twins declined to take on Christian Walker's contract, opting instead for minor-league pitcher Matt Mikulski and covering $33 million of Correa's salary. Correa is set to be the Astros' starting third baseman for the next three seasons, prompting potential lineup adjustments including possibly moving Walker in the offseason. Despite Walker's slow start to the season, he has shown strong offensive performance recently, hitting .296 with five home runs and 21 RBI in the last 30 games, and hitting .318 with three home runs and 18 RBI in July alone. However, the Astros have struggled overall, losing 14 of their last 21 games and being swept in a series by the Boston Red Sox, with offensive production inconsistent despite Walker’s contributions. The Astros also face challenges in their pitching rotation due to injuries, which may require reinforcements and additional starts from less utilized pitchers. Overall, the Astros are navigating roster and performance issues while integrating Correa back into the team and relying on Walker's improved hitting to stabilize their lineup.