Walker starting to feel 'much more competitive' after tweaking swing

HOUSTON -- Astros first baseman Christian Walker admits there’s a fine line between making adjustments and tinkering with his hitting mechanics while trying not to overhaul everything about his swing. Walker has straddled that line for much of this season following one of the slowest starts of his career.

The fact it came with a new team, having signed a three-year, $60 million deal with the Astros in December, only added to Walker’s urgency to get things right. He’s not yet where he wants to be, but the veteran has put in a ton of work and is slowly turning things around.

“I had to remind myself [that] my swing isn’t broken,” Walker said. “I’m feeling good, feeling much more competitive. Feeling like I’m helping the team more, which I love. Overall, I feel like it’s trending in the right direction, for sure.”

Still, Walker’s 0-for-5 night at the plate in Monday’s 7-5 loss to the Royals at Daikin Park was a reminder there’s still work to do. But after slashing .154/.267/.215 with two extra-base hits (one homer) in his first 18 games, Walker hit .286/.333/.506 with 10 extra-base hits (three homers) in the 20 games since (prior to Monday).

“I see more control, calm,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “He’s just starting to be more in control of the at-bat and we know once you do that, your swing will play better. There’s more freedom with what you want to do at the plate when you control the at-bat.”

Walker was 2-for-2 with a walk, a sacrifice fly and was hit by a pitch in Sunday’s 6-0 win over the Reds, including a two-run single with the bases loaded. It’s games like that, where every plate appearance was a positive result, that helps him feel more competitive in the batter’s box.

“Everybody goes through tough stretches,” Walker said. “It’s not the first time. It’s not the last time. It’s part of the game, but for me, even when things aren’t going the way you want, how do I still help the team? How do I contribute today?

“Sometimes it’s working a walk. Sometimes it’s seeing eight pitches in your first at-bat and making the starter work a little bit. Whatever it is, it changes every day. I think it starts with trust and reminding myself that I don’t have to do too much and try too hard. You’ve got to be locked in, but this game is funny, man. It’s like the harder you try, the further it seems to go away from you.”

When he was struggling at his lowest points, Walker felt he was getting too “pushy” with his hands, which means he was pushing his hands off his body instead of pushing down in the zone before working the bat up through the zone. He said nothing was clicking or making sense.

"And it was just a matter of which drill, which feel, which thought in the box is all going to make that come out,” Walker said. “You can get the cage work feeling good, but trying to take something applicable into the game, into the box, that keeps you in the moment, keeps you reactive, but also gives you a home. Whatever is clicking right now, the feeling, I’m sure it will change a little bit, but I’m definitely feeling better, for sure.”

Walker, who won the previous three National League Gold Gloves at first base with the D-backs, has been a huge upgrade defensively for the Astros. Walker entered Monday with zero defensive runs saved and 1+ Outs Above Average, but Houston first basemen ranked last in the Majors in Outs Above Average (-13) and Defensive Runs Saved (-14) last year.

“I’m proud of my defense,” Walker said. “It’s something I’ve worked really hard to get it to where it is. I know how fleeting offense can be sometimes, and for me, defense feels like something that is a way I could still help the team, even when things aren’t going well in the box. It’s almost a little bit more fuel when things aren’t clicking for me at the dish. It’s like, ‘Hey, lock it in on the field.’ If it’s not going to happen at the plate right now, find a way to help the team in the field, and fortunately it’s been good so far.”