It was revealed on Wednesday that the Houston Astros did not renew the contract of manager Joe Espada. This news seemed inevitable after the 2026 season, given the performance of the club over the last few years and the sweep in the Wild Card round this year at the hands of the Chicago White Sox.
The Astros also parted ways with general manager Dana Brown on Aug. 24, with signaled the shift in the managerial side of operations. Houston is now officially going through a transition period. Given the fact that the new GM will likely choose a manager, Espada's situation was never certain.
Houston believes it's now time for a new era. Espada was the Astros' manager for three seasons, from 2024-26 and helped lead the team to two American League West division titles in 2024 and 2026.
Espada released a parting message from Houston on his Instagram page on Thursday evening that was shared by Brian McTaggart of MLB.com on X.
Espada's Message to Houston
"After 9 incredible years with the Houston Astros, the time has come to begin a new chapter. I want to thank the Astros organization for giving me the opportunity to be part of his history. To my players, coaches, staff and everyone worked tirelessly behind the scenes, it has truly been an honor to share this journey with you. To the fans, thank you for your support, passion and for standing by us through every victory and every challenge. I leave with tremendous gratitude and pride in everything we accomplished together, and a deep appreciation for this city and its people. Thank you Houston from the bottom of heart," Espada wrote.
Espada first joined the Astros in 2018 as the new bench coach after Alex Cora joined the Boston Red Sox. He stayed in that role until the end of the 2023 season, when he was promoted to manager after Dusty Baker announced his retirement.
Espada's Astros did not surpass 90 wins in any of his three seasons, but did not have a losing record. His first career win as manager came on a no-hitter by Ronel Blanco on April 1, 2024, which made him the first manager in MLB history to earn his first win on a no-hitter.
The Astros ended up with an 88-73 record in 2024 and won their seventh straight full-season division crown. Houston got off to a poor start and were 12 games back of .500 at one point, as well as 10 games behind in the division race and came back to win it.
Espada's first appearance as a manager in the postseason was a sweep at the hands of the Detroit Tigers. Espada went 0-4 in the postseason overall as a manager. Houston missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016 in the 2025 season with an 87-75 record.
The Astros somehow made the postseason in 2026 with an 81-81 mark, enough to win the AL West for the eighth time in the last 10 years. There was no doubt Espada's tenure dealt with a multitude of injuries. Houston at one point had the best record in the AL in 2025, but suffered key injuries along the way to fall out of postseason contention.
Houston's roster wasn't on the same level as the golden era, and Espada's tenure as manager clearly didn't go as planned.
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