If the Arizona Diamondbacks decide that they are sellers at this year's trade deadline after making it to the World Series last fall, they could trade first baseman Christian Walker for prospects and then try to sign him in free agency this winter. Several contending teams such as the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners would love to acquire Walker, even though he'd be a rental for the second half of the season and a potential playoff run. The Athletic's Jim Bowden guesses that they D-backs will stay in the National League wild-card race and add around the edges at the deadline without making a big move like trading Walker. The 33-year-old Walker is on pace for his third straight 30-homer season in the desert and is one of the more underrated fantasy first basemen out there.
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker swatted another pair of homers on Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, leading the D-Backs to a 9-3 win. Walker went 2-for-3 with two walks, two runs, and three RBI on top of the two homers. After his second homer of the game in the third inning, the Dodgers had clearly seen enough, walking him twice in his last three plate appearances. The veteran had clobbered the ball against LA this season, smashing five longballs in this three-game series and seven overall on the season. The next time these two teams meet expect Walker to receive a heavy dose of pitches outside the zone.
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker went 4-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored in Wednesday's 12-4 win over the Dodgers. Walker recorded three extra-base hits which included a double and two home runs. The 33-year-old also walked once in the contest. The first home run was a solo shot that broke a 4-4 tie in the fourth inning, but the second homer was a three-run blast that padded the lead for the D-backs. It was the second straight game in which the veteran homered and it gives him 20 on the season. The right-handed hitter is having another productive season in the desert, posting a .267-20-59-53-2 line with a .362 wOBA and 135 wRC+.
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's loss versus the division rival Los Angeles Dodgers. Walker took Bobby Miller yard in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game 2-2 at the time, but it wouldn't be enough for the Diamondbacks to chalk up a win. Walker is now hitting .259 with 18 homers and 55 RBI on the season. The veteran continues to be an underrated source of power that won't sink managers batting average in the process. Walker now has six homers in the past month and should be rostered in all formats.
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker played hero for the club in Tuesday's victory against the division rival Los Angeles Dodgers. The slugger went 3-for-5 with two homers, including a walk-off, two-run homer off Nabil Crismatt in the bottom of the 10th inning. Walker is now hitting .283 with seven homers and 22 RBI over his first 113 at-bats. Even at age 33, Walker continues to remain an underrated player with his ability to hit for plenty of power without sinking ones batting average. He should be rostered in most formats and will look to keep it going on Wednesday when the Diamondbacks finish their series against the Dodgers and ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker went 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI. The slugger hit his third homer of the season, a three-run blast off Jake Cousins in the bottom of the seventh inning to add on to the Diamondbacks rout of the Yankees. Walker, 33, remains one of the most underrated power hitters on a year-to-year basis and is now hitting .292 with three homers and eight RBI on the young season. With 69 homers over the past two seasons and three already in 2024, managers should continue to enjoy the power out of the underrated first baseman.
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in a Cactus League matchup versus the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday. His homer would be the first this spring for the slugger. He now has four RBI this spring with a .290 batting average over 31 at-bats. Walker year in and year out has been a steady source of power for managers and will look to have his third straight season of 30-plus homers in 2024. One of the more underrated first baseman, Walker's power makes him a nice selection for managers after the big names are off the board.
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker (hand) has been diagnosed with a right-hand contusion after being hit by a pitch on his hand and leaving Thursday's Cactus League game early against the San Francisco Giants. Apparently X-rays came back negative on Walker's hand after he was hit by a pitch, so he should be considered day-to-day. Arizona will likely rest their starting first baseman for a few days, but he could be back in the lineup later this weekend. The 32-year-old right-handed hitter isn't getting any younger and could only stick around one more year in the desert, but he's been one of the most consistent power bats at first base over the last two years and should be viewed as a high-floor, top-10 fantasy first baseman this spring.
Christian Walker Leaves Early After Being Hit By Pitch
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker (hand) left the team's Cactus League game early on Thursday against the San Francisco Giants after being hit on the hand by a pitch. He'll presumably be taken for X-rays, and we'll have the results of those X-rays when they become available. Hopefully, the 32-year-old avoids any breaks in his hand is just dealing with a contusion. When healthy, Walker is a top-10 fantasy first baseman for the reigning National League champions. In the last two regular seasons in the desert, he's hit .250/.330/.487 with an .817 OPS, 69 home runs and 197 RBI in 317 games played. Walker also managed to steal a career-high 11 bases in 2023 as a cherry on top. Check back for an injury update on Walker later on Thursday.
The Arizona Diamondbacks avoided salary arbitration on Thursday with first baseman Christian Walker by agreeing to a one-year, $10.9 million deal, according to sources. Walker had another strong season for the D-backs while helping them reach the World Series in 2023. The 32-year-old finished the regular season with a .258/.333/.497 slash line with a career-high .830 OPS, 33 home runs, 36 doubles, two triples, a career-high 103 RBI, a career-high 11 stolen bases and 86 runs scored in 157 games played. As long as his plate discipline remains strong, Walker should be able to churn out another strong season in the desert as he approaches free agency next winter.
