The Houston Astros didn’t have to release a short list of candidates for their general manager vacancy to reveal the identity of one candidate.
Video released Tuesday, Oct. 20 by KHOU from an Oct. 13 Houston Sports Hall of Fame event shows Astros owner Jim Crane walking down a red carpet with Milwaukee Brewers executive Matt Kleine.
NEW VIDEO: Milwaukee Brewers assistant general manager Matt Kleine walks the red carpet with #Astros owner Jim Crane at last week's Houston Sports Hall of Fame event.
— Jason Bristol (@JBristolKHOU) October 20, 2026
Kleine is reportedly a candidate to be the next GM of the #Astros. pic.twitter.com/vE1ZOUxhps
The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority Foundation inducted Brian Ching, Billy Wagner, and JJ Watt into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame as its Class of 2026 during an Oct. 13 ceremony at Le Tesserae.
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The pair might have attended the event to cheer on the new inductees. However, on Tuesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that Kleine has “emerged as a serious candidate” to replace Dana Brown, who was fired in August.
Chandler Rome of The Athletic, citing multiple sources, reported Tuesday that Chicago White Sox assistant general manager Josh Barfield and St. Louis Cardinals assistant general manager Randy Flores are also “among the candidates who have drawn serious interest” from the Astros.
Rome added that a new GM could be selected before the end of the World Series, which begins Friday.
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Kleine could end the month with a new job — and a new ring. The Brewers are battling the Tampa Bay Rays for the title MLB champions, with a first-time winner guaranteed no matter who wins the World Series.
Crane hired Brown to his first job leading a baseball operations department, and seems intent on doing so again. Kleine, Barfield and Flores would all be first-time GMs.
Flores previously drew interest from the New York Mets, and could join the Los Angeles Angels‘ front office under his former boss in St. Louis, John Mozeliak.
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