It's no secret that the Minnesota Twins could use more power in their lineup. Kody Clemens led the club with 27 home runs in 2026. Only three other Twins players (Byron Buxton, Brooks Lee and Josh Bell) hit more than 20 homers this year. And one of them, Bell, will be a free agent this offseason unless his club option is shockingly exercised.
The Twins could add some much-needed power by acquiring first baseman Christian Walker from the Houston Astros. Walker, 35, hit 29 home runs this season and 151 over the past five seasons.
The Athletic's Chandler Rome expects Walker to be included in trade talks this offseason. The Astros won the AL West this year, but they had the worst record (81-81) of any playoff team in MLB history. The organization parted ways with general manager Dana Brown during the season and recently parted ways with manager Joe Espada. The roster is likely due for an overhaul, too.
Walker is under team control through next season. He is set to be paid $20 million. If Minnesota is willing to take on most or all of his remaining salary, the first baseman shouldn't be expensive to acquire. He had a decent but not great 2026 season at the plate, slashing .226/.299/.427 (103 wRC+) over 156 games. He is also a strong defender, posting +3 Defensive Runs Saved and +3 Outs Above Average this year.
Christian Walker could replace Royce Lewis in Twins' infield
If the Twins plan to move on from struggling first/second baseman Royce Lewis, it would make sense for them to pursue Walker this winter. Lewis posted only 2.6 fWAR over the past three seasons. This year, he hit a poor .227/.287/.380 (85 wRC+) over 125 games.
Minnesota optioned Lewis to the Triple-A St. Paul Saints in May and recalled him shortly after, but the minor-league stint clearly wasn't enough to revive the 2023 version of Lewis, who posted a 152 wRC+ with 15 homers and 52 RBI over 58 games and hit four home runs in six postseason games.
Unfortunately, it may be time for the Twins to trade or non-tender Lewis. The 2017 first-overall pick is projected to make $5.1 million in arbitration next year, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
Walker would be a perfect short-term addition for the Twins if they move on from Lewis. Then, top prospect Marek Houston should be ready to join the infield in 2028, if not late 2027.
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