The Astros announced Tuesday that they will not renew manager Joe Espada’s contract, which was set to expire at the end of the month. Espada, who managed Houston from 2024-26, will become a free agent.
There will be other changes on the staff. Bench coach Omar Lopez will not be back in that role but has been offered another position within the organization. Catching coach Tim Cossins, gameplan coordinator Tommy Kawamura, third base coach Tony Perezchica, assistant hitting coach Anthony Iapoce and assistant pitching coach Ethan Katz will all be replaced next season as well. Houston is retaining pitching coach Josh Miller, first base coach Dave Clark, field coordinator Jason Bell and hitting coach Victor Rodriguez.
Today’s announcement formalizes what had been the widespread expectation for months. The Astros won the American League West for the second time in Espada’s three years at the helm in 2026 but did so by default in what wound up being MLB’s weakest division. Houston’s 81-81 record is the worst ever for a team that qualified for MLB’s postseason, and the ‘Stros were swiftly toppled by the AL Central-winning White Sox. Chicago topped Houston 6-3 in Game 1 of the Wild Card round and 7-3 in Game two, securing a two-game sweep in that best-of-three series.
Espada and GM Dana Brown entered the season in the final year of their contracts, and owner Jim Crane dismissed Brown back in August. At the time, he said Espada would remain in place until season’s end, but it’s felt like a dead-man-walking situation with Crane repeatedly being noncommittal about Espada’s future beyond the expiration of his contract.
Prior to being named the successor to retiring manager Dusty Baker, Espada spent six years as Houston’s bench coach, holding that title under both Baker and Hinch. He’s previously served as a third base coach, minor league hitting coach and minor league field coordinator in the Marlins system. Before moving into the coaching side of the game, Espada was a 1996 second-round draft pick by the Athletics who played nine minor league seasons as a middle infielder.
Though his time at the helm in Houston is coming to an unceremonious end, Espada was long viewed as a manager-in-waiting before getting the nod to run the ship in Houston. He has a strong reputation throughout the industry, as evidenced by the fact that he’s already been granted permission to interview for the managerial vacancy with the division-rival Mariners, who are seeking a new skipper after parting ways with Dan Wilson.
More to come.