Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker received some good news regarding the oblique issue that has limited him this spring training. Walker had flown back to Houston to get the oblique examined.

Christian Walker smacked 26 home runs in just 130 games last season, with the Houston Astros' new first baseman missing a large chunk of his 2024 campaign due to a strained left oblique. Walker suffered an unfortunate dose of déjà vu Wednesday morning.

Here are three things we’ll be watching for around baseball today: Christian Walker was removed from the Astros’ spring training matchup against the Cardinals on Wednesday with soreness in his left oblique (per Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle ).

Owner Jim Crane commented that Smith “could make the ballclub this year at some point." That point could come sooner than expected.

Despite the new first baseman's optimism about his injury, Houston is sending him home for more medical tests.

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 Houston Astros have been one of the most successful franchises over the past decade, winning a pair of World Series titles along the way.