Astros' latest roster shuffle is most direct chance to make Yankees look foolish

The New York Yankees have declared that they care more about keeping a pair of draft picks than adding 34-year-old Christian Walker -- or, more specifically, they'd rather replenish the farm system than pay Walker through his age-36 season. They've opted for increased flexibility in the years to come, which had better pay off with additional spending in 2025-2026 (Kyle Tucker and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., all eyes are on you).

Even if the Yankees' plan works and they're able to lure and secure an upper-echelon talent in one year's time, they've still given their old rivals, the Houston Astros, an ability to win a one-for-one comparison at a key power position next season. The 'Stros finalized an affordable (in a vacuum) three-year, $60 million for Walker on Friday. The Yankees will shop in the one-year department, and whoever they choose will be compared head-to-head with the ex-Snake at every checkpoint next season.

Ideally, for Yankees fans, that's the only place the two first basemen will go head-to-head. If Houston and New York meet in another playoff series? Forget it.

Carlos Correa is gone. Alex Bregman is moving on. Here's your new narrative. Neat.

Astros get worse, still have chance to one-up Yankees

You want to laugh at the Astros for having both Jose Abreu and Christian Walker on their payroll at the same time, but only one of them on the active roster? Fine. But at least Houston owner Jim Crane wasn't scared off by that dead money, resolving to leave first base unfilled. They were able to push a Walker deal across the finish line anyway, something the Yankees were purportedly close to doing at the Winter Meetings before getting scared off by the double draft pick compensation loss (in the wake of Max Fried's deal).

If the Yankees had signed Walker, they'd have lost their third- and sixth-highest picks after already losing their second- and fifth-highest selections for Fried. Their international bonus pool would've been affected, too -- and since the Roki Sasaki playing field is nearly level, every million counts.

There were reasons not to get riled up and outbid Houston. They clearly value flexibility at the position, and didn't want to deplete their draft picks any further. Maybe (unlikely, but maybe) they cheap out here, then sign Anthony Santander or Alex Bregman and delete the picks anyway? Regardless, no matter where we reach by Opening Day, this'll be "Walker vs. The Other Guy" all year long. Let's win the comparison, for once.

You know Walker's repeat offender balky oblique wouldn't have held up well with the Yankees. Maybe it won't withstand the pressure in Houston, either.