Astros Will Not Renew Joe Espada’s Contract After AL West Titles, Early Playoff Exit

The Houston Astros are making a second major leadership change in less than two months, saying Wednesday they will not renew the contract of manager Joe Espada. The move comes after owner Jim Crane’s club parted ways with general manager Dana Brown on Aug. 24, signaling a broader reset in the organization’s baseball operations.

Espada managed Houston from 2024 through 2026 after serving as the Astros’ bench coach from 2018 through 2023. He went 256-229 in three seasons, according to MLB and Baseball-Reference, and led the Astros to American League West titles in 2024 and 2026. His tenure also included two postseason appearances in the Wild Card round.

The Astros finished 81-81 this season, good enough to win the AL West, but their postseason ended quickly. Houston was swept by the Chicago White Sox in the Wild Card Series, another early October exit for a franchise that has spent recent years operating with championship expectations after winning the 2022 World Series and making repeated deep playoff runs.

In the team announcement carried by MLB.com, Crane said: “We are thankful for Joe’s hard work, his passion for the game, and for his commitment to the Houston Astros. He represented the Astros and the Houston community in the most positive way. We wish he and his family the best moving forward.”

The Astros said Espada’s contract “is set to expire at the end of October.” He had been promoted to replace Dusty Baker after Baker retired following the 2023 season, extending Houston’s recent continuity by elevating a coach who had already spent six years on the club’s major league staff. Instead, the Astros are now moving on after three seasons in which Espada posted a winning record but did not guide the team past the Wild Card round.

Wednesday’s announcement also brought a wider shake-up on the coaching staff. Houston said pitching coach Josh Miller, first base coach Dave Clark, major league field coordinator Jason Bell, hitting coach Victor Rodriguez and bullpen catcher Javier Bracamonte will return for 2027. Bench coach Omar Lopez was offered a new role in the organization. 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 will not return.

The decision came one day after MLB reported that Houston had granted the Seattle Mariners permission to interview Espada for their managerial opening, a sign he could quickly re-emerge as a candidate elsewhere. After the season ended, Espada made clear he hoped to stay, saying “Absolutely” when asked by The Associated Press on Oct. 1 whether he wanted to return.