10/14/2026 10:36:00
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10/14 10:34 CDT Houston Astros do not renew Joe Espada's contract, part ways
with their manager
Houston Astros do not renew Joe Espada's contract, part ways with their manager
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) --- The Houston Astros have parted ways with manager Joe Espada
after deciding not to renew his expiring contract.
The team announced the decision Wednesday while also moving on from several
members of his coaching staff. His contract is set to expire at the end of this
month.
"We are thankful for Joe's hard work, his passion for the game, and for his
commitment to the Houston Astros," team owner Jim Crane said in a statement.
"He represented the Astros and the Houston community in the most positive way.
We wish he and his family the best moving forward."
The move comes after the Astros overcame a plethora of injuries to win the AL
West with an 81-81 record and become the first team in Major League Baseball
history to reach the postseason without a winning record. They were then swept
by the Chicago White Sox in two games at home in a Wild Card Playoff series.
The Astros will now be searching for a new manager and general manager after
former GM Dana Brown was fired in August.
Also on Wednesday, the Astros parted ways with catching instructor Tim Cossins,
game planning coach Tommy Kawamura, third base coach Tony Perezchica, assistant
hitting coach Anthony Iapoce and assistant pitching coach Ethan Katz.
The team said bench coach Omar Lopez has been offered an opportunity to remain
in the Astros organization in a new role.
The Astros are retaining pitching coach Josh Miller, first base coach Dave
Clark, major league field coordinator Jason Bell, hitting coach Victor
Rodriguez and longtime bullpen catcher Javier Bracamonte.
It was the first managerial job for Espada, who was in his third year after
being promoted from bench coach after Dusty Baker retired following the 2023
season.
Houston won the AL West in Espada's first season in 2024 but was swept by the
Detroit Tigers in the wild card playoff round. That series loss ended a streak
of seven straight appearances in the AL Championship Series, and that included
four World Series trips and titles in 2017 and 2022.
The Astros went 87-75 last season to finish second in the division and miss the
playoffs, snapping a streak of eight consecutive appearances.
The 51-year-old Espada went 256-229 as Houston's manager.
He's been with the Astros since joining them as the bench coach in 2018.
Espada, who was born in Puerto Rico, was the second Latino manager in franchise
history, joining Cuban-born Preston Gomez, Houston's manager from 1974-75.
Espada began his coaching career in the Marlins organization, working in the
minors until moving to the big league club as the third base coach in 2010.
He remained with the Marlins through the 2013 season before taking a job as a
special assistant to New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. He joined
the Yankees coaching staff in 2015 and worked as their infield and third base
coach through the 2017 season before coming to Houston.
Espada was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the second round of the 1996
amateur draft and spent nine seasons in the minors. He advanced to Triple-A as
a player, but retired at age 29 after failing to reach the majors before
beginning his coaching career.
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