Astros name Joe Espada manager: Houston bench coach promoted to top job after Dusty Baker retires

The Houston Astros have named Joe Espada as their new supervisor, the crew introduced Monday.

Espada will exchange mythical skipper Dusty Baker, who retired after the 2023 season. This will mark the primary managerial rent for basic supervisor Dana Brown and it is a promotion from inside. 

“We feel that Joe is a great fit to run our ballclub,” Brown mentioned in a remark. “He has a great relationship with our players and staff and has been an integral part of the Astros success for several seasons. He knows the organization from top to bottom. Joe has a great baseball mind and has great passion and enthusiasm. He has been in the game for a long time, knows what it takes to win and has certainly earned this opportunity.”

Espada, 48, has been with the Astros because the 2018 season as their bench coach, which is the MLB similar to a top assistant coach. The Puerto Rican-born Espada has interviewed for more than one managerial jobs over time, together with the Rangers and Cubs. Espada would be the 2nd Latino supervisor in Astros historical past, following Preston Gómez (1974-75). 

The Astros are on rather a run. They’ve made the remaining seven ALCS, successful the American League pennant 4 instances and taking the World Series championships in 2017 and 2022. They reached Game 7 of the ALCS this season, however have been bounced via the Rangers. Espada steps proper into his function as supervisor with the purpose of successful the World Series in his first season. 

There’s quite a few ability in space, too. Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker might be again to anchor the offense whilst the pitching team of workers keeps Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander, Cristian Javier and will get Lance McCullers again from harm. The Astros gained 90 video games remaining season — their lowest full-season overall since 2016 — and took the AL West name. Espada now leads a crew that has gained the AL West each and every of the remaining six complete seasons. 

Back in his enjoying days, Espada reached Triple-A as a center infielder, spending time within the A’s, Rockies, Marlins, Cardinals, Rangers, Royals and Rays farm programs. 

He began his training profession with the Greensboro Grasshoppers (a Marlins associate) in 2006 and rose to the big-league membership as a third-base coach for 2010. In 2015, he was the Yankees’ infield coach and third-base coach. It was once after the 2017 season that Espada went to the Astros because the bench coach. He’s assisted A.J. Hinch and Dusty Baker in Houston and now in spite of everything will get his shot with the top job. 

Now with the Astros’ emptiness anticipated to be crammed, most effective the Brewers and Padres are in search of a brand new supervisor.