The Houston Astros have culminated their managerial search and are expected to name bench coach Joe Espada as their next manager on Monday, November 13, per The Athletic’s Chandler Rome.
Following the Houston Astros’ elimination in the 2023 American League Championship Series, former manager Dusty Baker announced his retirement. Baker was with the team from 2020-2023, going to four consecutive ALCSs. Houston went to the World Series in 2021 but fell short before winning it in 2022. Baker had just wrapped his 26th season coaching, and if this is it for him, he will retire with a 2,183-1,862 record between the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals and Astros.
Espada has served as Houston’s bench coach for the past six seasons. He was a second-round draft pick in the 1996 MLB Draft by the Oakland Athletics. Espada bounced around the minor leagues playing for the Florida Marlins, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays at various times. He retired following the 2005 season, having never played in the majors.
Espada began his coaching career in 2006 with the Marlins. He was a minor league hitting coach in 2006 and 2007 before serving as a minor league infield coordinator from 2008-2009. Espada was promoted to the major league club’s third-case coach in 2010 and held the position for three seasons. The Marlins wanted to have him manage their Class-A Advanced affiliate, but he instead became the special assistant for New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman.
Espada was promoted as the Yankees infield and third base coach in 2015 and was in the position through the 2017 season. He then joined the Astros as their bench coach in 2018 and has been in the position ever since. Espada interviewed for two previous managerial positions but didn’t get them. This will be his first job as a manager and he has big shoes to fill with high expectations.