The Astros have concluded their managerial search and are expected to promote bench coach Joe Espada to the role, according to reports from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale and Jim Bowden of The Athletic. An official press conference to introduce Espada is set for Monday at 11am CT.
Espada, 48, was a second-round pick by the A’s in the 1996 draft and played nine seasons in the minor leagues. While he was selected by the Twins in the 1998 Rule 5 draft, he did not ultimately crack the Opening Day roster in Minnesota and never received a big league opportunity afterward, ending his minor league career with a .275/.363/.343 slash line in 644 career games. After retiring as a player in 2005, he began his coaching career as a member of the Marlins organization in 2006, serving as a minor league hitting coach and infield coordinator before being named the major league third base coach prior to the 2010 season. Espada ultimately spent four seasons in Miami as third base coach. When the Marlins attempted to reassign Espada to manage in the minor leagues following the 2010 season, he departed the organization to become a special assistant in the Yankees’ front office.
Espada returned to coaching in 2015 as third base and infield coach for the Yankees, serving in the role for three years before being hired by the Astros to replace Alex Cora as the club’s bench coach for the 2018 season following Cora’s hire as manager of the Red Sox. Espada has been the club’s bench coach ever since, serving under both A.J. Hinch and Dusty Baker over the past six seasons. During his time as Houston’s bench coach, Espada has regularly been a candidate for managerial positions. The Cubs, Giants, Mets, White Sox, Marlins, and Athletics are all among the clubs Espada interviewed with in recent years, though the job ultimately went to another candidate each time. With Baker having stepped away from managing, however, Espada is finally getting his first shot to manage in the majors.
Though the hiring of Espada as manager hardly constitutes a surprise, the club’s long-time bench coach was not the only candidate consider for the role. The Astros were briefly linked to Craig Counsell prior to him joining the Cubs, while former Tigers and Angels manager Brad Ausmus and third base coach Omar Lopez were among other candidates reportedly considered for the role. Houston owner Jim Crane and adviser Jeff Bagwell were both thought to have “immense say” over the managerial search, though rumors indicated that Brown, in particular, pushed for Espada to take over for Baker in the dugout.
While Espada has no managerial experience at the big league level, he’s far from inexperienced after stints managing clubs in winter leagues as well as coaching in the World Baseball Classic for Team Puerto Rico in both 2013 and 2017 on top of his many seasons serving as bench coach under Hinch and Baker. That deep experience both with the Astros organization and in the dugout should make the transition a smooth one for both Espada and the players in Houston, who won’t have to adjust to a new personality leading the team and clubhouse next season. That continuity figures to be especially valuable to a club that’s cultivating a winning culture in recent years with seven straight ALCS appearances, four AL pennants and two World Series championships over the past seven seasons.
Espada’s first season as manager in Houston won’t be without challenges, however. Key veterans Martin Maldonado and Michael Brantley departed for free agency earlier this month, meaning the club will have to either replace or re-sign the duo behind the plate and in the outfield. Brantley, in particular, figures to be of importance to replace given the club’s lack of left-handed bats to provide balance to the lineup alongside Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker. What’s more, the club’s starting rotation features plenty of question marks behind a front three of Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, and Cristian Javier. Though the likes of Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia could return from surgery as potential midseason reinforcements, the club currently figures to rely on the likes of Hunter Brown, Jose Urquidy, and J.P. France as potential options to fill out the club’s Opening Day rotation. That trio combined for a 4.64 ERA across 355 innings of work last year.
Despite those potential holes in the roster, there’s also reason for optimism the club will perform better than their 90-win 2023 campaign next year. After all, the club figures to get full seasons out of Verlander, whom they re-acquired in a deadline deal with the Mets this summer, and Jose Altuve, who appeared in just 90 games this season due to injuries. A full season from rookie catcher Yainer Diaz in his sophomore campaign should help bolster the club’s offense by replacing the below-average production of Maldonado’s bat in the everyday lineup, putting the Astros in decent position as they look to fend off the rival Rangers and Mariners for their fourth-consecutive AL West crown.
He must have a lot of respect among the players. Sometimes it is better not to shake the boat too much on a championship tupe club. Good for him.
There is no way to know whether he’ll be a good manager until he gets a chance to manage. I think he’s worth the risk and agree with what you said.
If the book Moneyball is to believed, he was picked because players like him and he’ll be an obedient middle manager taking orders from the data scientists.
I think it’ll be a healthier relationship between all parties instead of the authoritarian/my way or the highway approach that the Astros former manager had. Baseball has evolved and there’s a good balance between analytics and the actual game.
I don’t know if Moneyball applies here. Their last manager hire was Dusty Baker and they were tied to Counsell. If they wanted a yes man I think they wouldn’t have let Estrada hang like they did. The Yankees pretty much had Boone’s contract signed and the ink was dry as soon as Girardi was given the boot and he was definitely a yes man. Seems like he was their guy once Counsell went to the Cubs. Plus, I’m sure they still feel the sting of letting Cora go.
Its about time. I’m sure he was getting tired of being the token minority interview. I wish him well!
Their window has been closing. If it weren’t for the Verlander trade, they may not have even made the postseason in 2023. It appeared it was closing, but they still find ways to win.
I think, however, with the Rangers winning and Mariners being relevant, I think the Astros are going to start to fade from those championship years. It might be slow but I think it’s going to happen as that 2017 team keeps getting dismantled piece by piece.
Depends if they’re smart enough to make a trade or two and reload, or sit tight with the team they have and slowly let guys walk and get older. The Houston farm is horrendous, the only chance they have at opening the window wide open and keeping the good times rolling is to trade a guy or two who would net a big return.
Trading Framber would net a big haul, reload the upper minors and they’d be losing a guy that can be good and can also be terrible and a head case. He’s the one I would trade for a big return and keep the good times rolling. Bregman could be another candidate for this, as he is a Boras client and more certainly leave when his contract is up. He also can be a good player no doubt, but he is not a difference maker at this stage of his career compared the money he will command in 2 years on the market as a Boras client. Either of those guys or both moved would load this team up with young talent, while keeping the focus on younger/cheaper talent and extensions. Alvarez, Tucker, Diaz, Javier, Altuve core, while adding some young pitching/hitting in return.
I don’t know. Their farm seems to keep producing when they need it to. Look at all of the talent they have lost. Springer, Verlander, Cole, Correa, all top talent. Yet they made it to the ALCS again. I think Crane has finally realized letting top stars walk over money is a bad idea. At least for Astros fans I hope he has. Don’t cripple your payroll like the Angels love to do but don’t let proven top talent walk without a fight either. They might have another ring had they kept guys like Charlie Morton and Springer a few more years.
Trade Bregman to the Tigers for a lefty OF like Carpenter and some young BP and SP. The Tigers need a 3B and bats and have lots of left handed OF and minor league or major league pitching to offer.
That’s not a bad idea for a trade. Bregman and Hinch obviously have a history. Problem is, Bregman would bet a bigger return than that. He’s coming off of a 4.9 WAR season with no signs of slowing down.
Bregman is my favorite player. He has been since watching the 2017 post season plays he made – throwing home twice, HR vs Sale to pull Verlanders butt off the fire, and of course the WS game 5 walkout.
That said I don’t see him getting much of a trade return.
If the Tigers traded for him, they would need to pay him $30.5M. If he gets 5 WAR and you figure $8M per WAR like Fangraphs, then he has $9.5M in surplus value.
That’s not really going to get the Astros multiple starting quality players. Maybe 1.
To give some context. Bench/utility guy Matt Vierling of the Tigers has $8.8M in surplus value according baseballtradevalues.com.
FYI according to them Alex has $11.5M which would be projecting him for 5.2 WAR.
Because of years of control and salary, Carpenter has literally twice the trade value of Bregman.
Im still wishing the would have traded Fulmer for Bregman a few years back before he was proven. Don’t listen to Hal 2000 and his trade values, he is just trying to take over the world. Bregman would be a good fit with the Tigers for a lot of reasons and as much as some hate to hear it, Carpenter is expendable and could be ably replaced by two players with somewhat smilar profiles in Malloy and Bigbie. If I’m the Astros I keep him.
With the difference on team control, the Astros would have to chip in more than just Bergman to get Carpenter by himself.
Bogbee isn’t ready, and Carpenter is twice the OF Malloy is. Malloy is just a bat, Miggy’s replacement at DH.
Stymedone…I agree that Malloy should be DH’ing which is what they said about Carpenter last year as well. I like Carpenter but he is never going to be as good as Bregman and both Bigbie and Malloy profile as better hitters, albeit unproven. I expect the Tigers would have to give up someone like Carpenter for Bregman. I’ll take Bregman at 30 years old for Carpenter any day. My caveat would be that he signs a contract beyond this season though, otherwise what is the point. Same as if the Tigers made a play for Soto. No sense giving good players away for ine year of a star, especially when there are so many holes to fill. We both know it’s not going to happen anyway. They’ll sign a placeholder who is expendable (like Canha) and work the kids in.
@stymee that is an awful take. To get Bregman they would have to throw in 2-3 good prospects along with Carpenter. Team control is a factor, but so is the CURRENT level of the player(s).
Cora, people have said the same everytime they lose a piece (Springer, Cole, Correa). Their window has been closing since 2020. They are going to have to prove their window is closing.
@steven- That’s an exaggeration. Maybe a couple people here and there said that, but the clear consensus was that Houston would still be a great team after losing Cole, and still a good team after losing Springer and Correa. This is the first offseason there has been a steady buzz about Houston’s window closing.
At this point, you’re right, but I still don’t think they are the same Astros as of 2017 and I think they plain and simply got lucky last year. I honestly believe every other postseason team underperformed, besides the Phillies who overperformed then met their match. That’s my thinking anyway, but I’m sure someone will be on me for it.
Postseason success so often comes from experience. Bruce Bochy was the key for the Rangers. The Astros have so much post season experience that if they can get in, they’ll do well.
Yeah, Bruce Bochy was the x-factor for the Rangers this season. The moment I realized that the Astros would play the Rangers, I knew Bochy was by far the better manager and the Astros wouldn’t win that series. The fact the Astros took that series to 7 games is pretty incredible.
That series would have been over by game 6 if it wasn’t for Espada in game 5. All the credit to the Rangers for crushing, but Bochy won them that series for just being better than Dusty.
Everyone has been saying the window is closing since 2020. And every year they are in the ALCS.
@jjd002- That’s an exaggeration. Maybe a couple people here and there said that, but the clear consensus was that Houston would still be a great team after losing Cole, and still a good team after losing Springer and Correa. This is the first offseason there has been a steady buzz about Houston’s window closing.
@hemlock I am a huge Astros fan, but if they don’t retool soon, the window will close.
@Beff
It’s a natural progression of the game. Rise up and win it all, then tear it down and start again. Maybe they can extend things a few years. Anyway, good luck.
I’m not sure if you copied my exact comment to reinforce my point or what, but I agree with this statement of course lol
> I’m not sure if you copied my exact
> comment to reinforce my point or what,
> but I agree with this statement of course lol
myaccount2–
I thought you answered the question perfectly the first time. It was replied to with the exact same idea so I repeated what you put down to reinforce the point for the first time yet again.
Respect to you, I appreciate that!
Honestly, though, do you think Houston had a chance at making the postseason in 2023 without the Verlander trade?
Bregman, Altuve, Verlander,and McCullers are the only players still with the club from 2017.
The departure of Baker and Maldonado means an extra 10 wins at least. We are fine.
The team was a win away from the World Series and mostly likely would have also crushed the Diamondbacks. There is some decline, but they are still elite.
2017 dismantled 7 years after they won? How many championship teams keep the team together 7 years after they won?
He was runner-up for the Guardians job.
Is he going to employ a new alternative to trashcans?
Cutting edge and original comedy! Good job Yanks2.
What did the Yankees teach them this time?
The beat goes on.
Luckily Cora took that with him to Boston, since he was the one banging the trashcans. Use your brain
Yankees also got for cheating too. It’s a cheater cheater world out there
Beltran was a co-mastermind in the scandal and where did he come from…oh yeah, the Yankees! But it’s ok for Yankees fans to be bitter since their team can’t win, and they certainly can’t beat the Astros. No one expects anything less than jealousy and bitterness from their classless fans.
I would be careful of your words. The Astro’s success won’t last forever and you can never count the Yankees out.
@Cora that Yankees have been successfully counted out for several years in a row. No matter how much money they throw out, this isn’t a championship team. They don’t have the strong leadership that they used to have. I won’t “be careful with my words,” and no, the Astros success won’t last forever…just like the Yankees didn’t.
Oh, and last I checked…the Yankees were counted out of the playoffs this year. Cue all of the excuses right abooooooout now!
Yes, they didn’t make it but remember 2022? Astros were better but Yankees were still relevant. One off-season could change their fate.
I remember the Yankees losing to the Astros in 2022. Same as they have for the last several years.
cymbals
Astros still saving money, living rent free in the heads of Yankees fans, the worst fans in baseball.
@unclenolanrules they truly are the worst. I’ve visited many stadiums and their fans are pathetic. They further prove it when they post absurdities online. I don’t typically lump entire fan bases together, but if there are good Yankees fans…they don’t seem to have dialogue in these comment sections.
I vote for steel drums with a nice soothing Carribean beat.
Say “Yeah mon” for fastball and “Rastafari” for breaking stuff.
No, but we have asked the MLB if we could use the Judge brand juiced balls for our home games.
Ha, yep I guess he will re-employe Cora and Beltran. Oh I forgot Beltran came from the yanks. As I remember it the Yanks and Redsox both got fined for using technology in 2017
Jim Harbaugh was their second choice
Slider for the win!!
OK I’m an Astros fan, but that was funny. Good one.
Lol I am also an Astros fan who chuckled. I enjoy a good, original joke.
Let them have Alex Cora. I’ll personally drive him to Houston myself. Although, I’ll need a truck to carry the trash cans.
Keep Cora and Beltran and their cheating ways far away from Houston lol. They can cheat on other teams.
Yawn
Yankees cheated and still lost, HAHAHAHAHA
It’s about time
About time!
The guy deserves a shot and I hope he does well…
Bad move. There are at least 15 other more-qualified managers.
I think they just want someone who will agree to let the front office and analytics create the lineup. Clearly, they weren’t happy with Dusty making his own decisions.
@GOAT they shouldn’t have been satisfied with Dusty and his choices. They were abysmal. If a bat was hot, he would sit them so that Dubon could play. He stayed loyal to the worst catcher in baseball, when a significantly better option sat on the bench. He overstayed his managerial ability. Should’ve rode off into the sunset after last year.
I’m not defending Dusty’s choices. I’d also be curious to see how different the postseason would’ve been if he started Yanier Diaz. Just stating the front office’s motivations for hiring what is essentially an internal yes-man.
@GOAT I got ya. I do wonder if he will just be a yes man myself, but I still think he may be the best option to regain the clubhouse. The team was flat, without emotion, under Dusty. They didn’t have the same vibe that they did under Hinch.
I’m just glad the upper management made it clear that Diaz is the starting catcher.
I mean, being a yes may be what they need. They probably would benefit from using more analytics to ground their decisions over Baker’s gut feelings. Espada’s familiarity with the clubhouse could also be a plus. Either way, they’ll definitely be a better team with Diaz being the everyday catcher.
Name the 15 better options.
Wondering who he will retain as coaching staff. Could Omar be his bench coach. Will he stay with same ones as hitting and pitching coaches. Will Pettit remain as third base coach and such.
I want to see Houston do something to better this team. I still question the outfield outside of Tucker. Meyers and McCormick in LF and CF. The production from the two not great. Yes Chas had a few moments but playoffs he was lousy. So were others. Can we do better in our rotation. Keep seeing articles on no talks on keeping Altuve and Bregman. Myself keep Altuve and have finish here but is there better for third. Bregman is great at third but his hitting this past season. I do not think has recovered after his injury season. Pitching not sure on either. Verlander could do better after crazy season. Will Javier and Framber be revived. Will even Diaz work well with them. Myself can do better than Urquidy in there. Brown after this season will he have a better sophomore season. They banked on Hunter and Framber and Javier this season after letting JV go and they flopped. And still flopped when JV came back. Bullpen not sure what will look like. Could Pressly be dropped to 8th inning and get new closer. I just do not think this team can go if comes out like last season.
But I do like this move.
I don’t see any bold trades.
Great hire. And I am an A’s fan, unfortunately
Lol hang in there, you guys have no where to go but up!
Question is, will you remain an A’s fan once they’re in Vegas?
Omar Lopez is the 1st base coach. Gary Pettis is the 3rd base coach. Third article in a row where this mistake was made.
I do hope Pettis goes. He’s not very good at his job lol.
How do you grade a 3rd base coach? Tell me who’s the best in the game.
It’s easy. Does he stupidly send runners home who get tagged out often? If yes, then he sucks.
Your take was awful. With your logic, base coaches aren’t needed since they are so pointless that you can’t grade them.
That’s not what I said at all. I know for a fact you aren’t studying those figures on Pettis. You’re just hating on him for no reason. Nobody gives a damn about a 3rd base coach.
Some people do. Not you, but some people do.
@ReZimodos does that really happen?
Makes sense. Most millennials have way too many feelings and then when they get a gig like this, they try to press their “authority.”
Will be quite easy to replace Dusty. He was atrocious in 2023.
Espada has been a bench coach for the team for several years now and knows them well. He will be a good manager for the Astros.
Oh darn! I was hoping Brad Ausmus would be the manager.
I expect the Astros to be even more competitive in the 2024 season. They have the best bats up and down the lineup. The loss of Brantley coming off the bench will sting a little. Maldanado’s walk away was way overdue. Counting on Verlander for the 24 season is wishful thinking. He isn’t the work horse of yesteryear. Astros minor league system isn’t as strong in previous years. They may need to bring in a FA starter such as Snell to spell Verlander from time to time.
♫”Dallas, got a soft machine; houston, too close to new orleans;
New yorks got the ways and means; but just wont let you be, oh no.”♪♫
How’d you manage to embed those notes with the comment? Very cool.
Wish there were more options here for embedding links, inserts, emojis etc….
Not complaining, just wishing …
Good choice. Keeps some continuity for the players and should help Houston continue to contend
Espada has been a managerial candidate since he was the Marlins 3rd base coach over 10 years ago… about time he gets his shot
It’s a smart move by the Astros, keep it in house. The team just needs to play with the same people they’ve been playing with some minor changes. It’s a winning culture, and he’s been there all the way.
I hope he is successful in his 2nd MLB managerial opportunity.
If the Astros maintain high level performances all is good. If not, Espada is gone and a soft rebuild begins. Hiring makes sense.
Noice