The Houston Astros have officially begun overhauling their entire baseball operation by parting ways with their manager.
Joe Espada, who led the club to two division titles as manager over three seasons and served as a bench coach for six seasons, will not return to the dugout next season. Espada was in the final year of his contract. The Astros chose not to offer him a new deal.
"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," said Astros Owner and Chairman Jim Crane.
On Tuesday, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported that Espada will meet with the Seattle Mariners about their current managerial opening. The Mariners fired manager Dan Wilson at the end of the regular season, and the Astros had granted Espada permission to speak with Seattle.
In corresponding moves, the Astros also announced on Wednesday that five coaches will remain with the club heading into 2027, including 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.
Longtime bench coach Omar Lopez has been offered a new role within the Astros organization, but it's unclear whether he has accepted.
Five other coaches will not return, including 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 Astros, who were expected to contend for the American League pennant this season, finished 81-81 and stumbled their way to their eighth division title in 10 years. However, the Chicago White Sox swept the Astros in two games, knocking them out of the postseason.
Espada, 51, had a 256-229 managerial record over three seasons and previously served as an assistant coach for the Astros, Miami Marlins and New York Yankees dating back to 2010. Espada also led Puerto Rico to two silver medals in the World Baseball Classic.
However, Espada's lack of success in the postseason likely was a deciding factor in not being retained by the organization. The Astros were swept by the Detroit Tigers in the 2024 AL Wild Card round and were dismissed by the White Sox on Sept. 30.
The Astros promoted Espada before the 2024 season to replace legendary skipper Dusty Baker, who retired in October 2023. Former Astros general manager Dana Brown elevated Espada, citing his leadership skills, work ethic and overall demeanor as a potential manager.
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This article originally published at Astros officially part ways with manager Joe Espada after three seasons.