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Houston Astros part ways with manager Joe Espada in franchise reset that could mark end of era
Yahoo Sports • • general
Key Points:
- The Houston Astros have parted ways with manager Joe Espada after three seasons, during which the team went 256-229 and made the postseason twice but failed to advance past the wild-card round.
- Despite Espada's departure, the Astros are retaining several key coaching staff, including pitching coach Josh Miller, hitting coach Victor Rodriguez, and bench coach Omar Lopez, who has been offered a new role within the organization.
- Espada's teams showed resilience by overcoming poor starts to win the AL West in consecutive seasons, but struggled in the playoffs, being swept by the Chicago White Sox in the most recent postseason.
- The Astros led MLB in home runs in 2026, powered by AL MVP candidate Yordan Alvarez, but their pitching staff was among the worst in ERA, a weakness that contributed to their early playoff exit.
- Owner Jim Crane acknowledged limitations in the roster during Espada's tenure, and the managerial change signals a franchise reset following recent front-office upheaval and disappointing on-field results.
