The Houston Astros and manager Joe Espada are parting ways, according to MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart on X (formerly Twitter). This was a long time coming for Espada, with the writing on the wall back in July that it would have taken a miraculous turnaround for him to be retained. After being swept at home out of the postseason, it was time for a change.
In his three seasons as Astros skipper, Espada held a 256-229 record, which equates to a .521 winning percentage. Espada led the Astros to an AL West division title in two of his three seasons, both times not winning a playoff game.
Why move on from Espada?
The Astros might be on the wrong side of age right now, and with the departure of Dana Brown from the organization back in July, it just made sense to move on. Espada was certainly not the problem with the Astros in 2026, as he was dealt to a roster that did not fit.
The Astros will bring in a new GM or president of baseball operations this offseason, so it just made sense for Houston to have both of them on the same length of contract. This also allows the new GM to pick their person for the job, and it will likely be someone from outside the organization.
Some Candidates for the Astros
The Astros will get the benefit of not having too many open jobs this offseason, with one being in their division and another possibly opening in Philadelphia. That means the candidate pool is larger for Houston to get a top candidate. All options are pure speculation, but could be names we see when the full search begins.
One name could be Alex Cora, given his experience with the organization. Cora was the bench coach on the 2017 World Series-winning team before departing for Boston. If the Phillies’ job is open, they will certainly give Houston a run for their money, but his familiarity with the Astros organization would help.
Another name that could be an option for the Astros is Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus. Ausmus managed the Tigers and the Angels before joining Aaron Boone and his staff in New York, and he was not the best manager there was, but he does bring experience and might have improved his philosophy after being in New York. Ausmus also has some familiarity with the Astros after being a catcher with the organization from 1997-1998 and 2001-2008.
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