After an awkward farewell process that saw the Houston Astros make Joe Espada a lame duck on an expiring contract before allowing him to interview with the division rival Seattle Mariners, we now have some clarity on the future of the club's bench boss.
The Astros announced they have decided to part ways with Espada and will not renew his contract when it expires at the end of October.
The announcement ends Espada's three-year tenure, during which he compiled a 256-229 record (.528) and led Houston to division titles in 2024 and 2026. However, this past season saw the Astros backslide into first in the AL West with a .500 (81-81) record despite an MVP-caliber season from Yordan Alvarez.
Now, Houston must look ahead to an offseason that is beginning with no general manager (Dana Brown was let go back in August) and no manager. It's likely that owner Jim Crane could look to fill the GM role first, but the club's patience in naming a manager would also suggest that their preferred candidate(s) might still be active as current postseason teams.
Let's examine a few possibilities:
Danny Lehmann
Los Angeles Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann is only 41 years old, but has already been a popular name in the managerial rumor mill, being linked in the past to open jobs with the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves. He'd be an excellent fit with the Astros, too.
Not only does Lehmann bring a substantial track record of success stemming from three years as Dave Roberts' bench coach and more than a decade in the Dodgers' front office, but he also carries personal connections to the Houston area. He grew up in The Woodlands, roughly 30 miles north of the city, as a star high school catcher and played college ball at nearby Rice University.
Jason Lane
Although Pat Murphy and the Milwaukee Brewers don't employ a traditional bench coach, Jason Lane has been instrumental in helping guide the club. Currently the team's offense and strategy coordinator, he has also served as the first base coach, third base coach and assistant hitting coach for Murphy, the reigning two-time NL Manager of the Year.
Lane is also familiar to Astros fans. He spent the first five and a half seasons of what would technically be a seven-year playing career in Houston. He even hit 26 home runs for the 2005 squad that went all the way to the World Series, not to mention launching a solo shot in Game 3.
Rodney Linares
Perhaps no managerial candidate will have as many players come to bat for him as Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Rodney Linares. Once a second-generation Astros coach (his father, Julio Linares, spent three years coaching in Houston), his time in the organization's minor league system saw him mentor future stars like Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, George Springer, and Alex Bregman.
Linares hasn't exactly been idle in the years since, either. A trusted aide to Rays' manager Kevin Cash, he has been with the franchise for eight years and has overseen 99- and 98-win seasons during his past four years as bench coach. He also managed the Dominican Republic at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
No prerequisite demands that the next Astros coach be part of a current Championship Series team or even that they have ties to the franchise. However, having a trio of viable candidates enjoying plenty of current success and holding ties to the team and to the Houston area makes for a potential managerial decision with no wrong answer.
Add us as a preferred source on Google