On Monday, Sept. 28, Houston Astros owner Jim Crane told the that the team’s playoff berth will be “something to consider” when deciding on the future of manager Joe Espada, whose contract expires after the season. Crane already fired general manager Dana Brown in August — and that was before the Astros went 81-81 and were eliminated on their home turf by the Chicago White Sox in the American League wild-card series on Wednesday. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that "Crane won’t think about (changing managers) much longer" once the Astros' season was in the books.
Later that day, it was over. Espada is in his third season managing the Astros. With their fate hanging in the balance until the Astros clinched the American League West on the final day of the regular season, Espada managed without any assurances about his future.
According to Rosenthal, Espada "was in trouble even before the season started. And once Crane fired general manager Dana Brown in late August, he was in even more trouble." More news: Astros, Rangers Ensure AL West Will Make Embarrassing MLB History "It’s not difficult to see where this is going," Rosenthal wrote. It would be arguably more unusual if the Astros hired a new general manager, and he or she chose to retain a field manager they didn't hire.
By allowing Espada's contract to expire, Brown's successor would have free rein to choose a new manager for 2027 and beyond. More news: 6 World Series Matchups: Conflicts Everyone Can Root For Espada, 51, will at least have options if the Astros let him go. He managed Houston to a 256-229 record and two division titles in three seasons.
He also collected downballot votes for the American League Manager of the Year Award each of the last two seasons. Yet the Astros never won a playoff game under Espada either. They were swept by the Detroit Tigers in an AL Wild Card series in 2024.
More news: Former Yankees Infielder, 9-Year MLB Veteran, Announces Immediate Retirement The Seattle Mariners are in the market for a new manager after choosing not to retain Dan Wilson. The Phillies haven't made a formal decision about interim manager Don Mattingly for 2027. The Angels are postponing a decision about first-year manager Kurt Suzuki, who managed this season on a one-year contract, until their new ownership group aligns with interim general manager John Mozeliak on a decision.
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