YOU'RE HIRED!
Here's everything you need to know about the Houston Astros new GM
Jan 26, 2023, 3:04 pm
YOU'RE HIRED!
The Houston Astros finally have their guy. Dana Brown, a long-time MLB executive, was named the franchise’s new general manager on Thursday afternoon.
Watch along as the Astros and Dana Brown officially announce his contract as the Houston Astros new General Manager. https://t.co/m9UbFInMhL
— Houston Astros (@astros) January 26, 2023
Brown has decades of experience scouting players and working in the front offices for MLB clubs. He is coming from the Atlanta Braves where he was the Vice President of Scouting since 2019. Brown primarily focused on scouting in the amateur ranks.
Before joining Atlanta, Brown spent nine seasons serving as a special assistant to the general manager for the Toronto Blue Jays. Prior to that, he was spent eight seasons as the scouting director for the Montreal Expos and Washington Nationals.
Throughout his long career, Brown has been responsible for selecting multiple players that went on to play in MLB, including Ian Desmond, Ryan Zimmerman, Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann.
With the Braves, Brown helped in the team selecting Michael Harris II, who won the 2022 National League Rookie of the Year, right-handed pitcher Spencer Strider and infielder Vaughn Grissom. Brown also took catcher Shea Langeliers, which helped Atlanta land Matt Olson, who became a key figure in the Braves’ 2022 season.
The new Astros general manager was also a player in his own right. The 55-year-old had a stellar career with Seton Hall in the 1980s. He earned a Big East first team selection three times with the Pirates, and he helped lead Seton Hall to a 149-71-1 record in four years.
He also helped Seton Hall win a conference championship in 1987. Brown played 215 games for the Pirates, had 743 at bats and scored 207 runs. He was taken by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 35th round of the 1989 MLB Amateur Draft.
Brown seems like a perfect fit for the Astros, who have become known for their ability to scout underrated players in their own right, such as Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia and going over a decade back, Jose Altuve.
With Houston owner Jim Crane looking to win as many championships as possible, a person that can scout and find key pieces to a championship roster is a coveted skill, which is something that Brown has demonstrated he possesses.
The Houston Astros return to action Wednesday night with a chance to get back on track and even their three-game set against the visiting Chicago White Sox.
White Sox continue to have Houston's number
After falling 4–2 in Tuesday’s opener, the Astros now trail the season series 3–1 and will turn to Ryan Gusto (3-3, 4.78 ERA) in hopes of steadying the ship and reinforcing their grip on first place in the AL West.
Houston enters the matchup at 36–30 overall and 22–13 at home, a mark that reflects just how comfortable they've been playing in front of their fans. Though the offense has been inconsistent at times, the Astros are an impressive 19–4 when they manage to keep the ball in the yard — a stat that will be key with Gusto on the mound. The young right-hander has had an up-and-down season, but he'll be tasked with limiting a White Sox offense that did just enough to sneak away with a win in the opener.
Chicago, meanwhile, continues to play with a bit of unexpected edge despite sitting in last place in the AL Central. At 23–44, the White Sox have struggled most of the season — particularly on the road, where they’re just 7–26. Still, they've now won four of their last five games and will hand the ball to Sean Burke (3-6, 4.03 ERA), a righty who’s shown flashes of command and competitiveness in his rookie campaign.
The Astros will once again lean on their veterans to lead the way at the plate. Jose Altuve continues to be a consistent presence at the top of the lineup with nine home runs and 24 RBIs on the year. Yainer Diaz, who’s 10-for-39 with three home runs over his last 10 games, has started to find his swing again and could be a factor in the middle of the order. Houston will need more of that timely hitting if they want to avoid dropping their second straight at home — something that hasn’t happened often this year.
On the other side, Chase Meidroth has quietly become one of Chicago’s more reliable bats. Hitting .293 with five doubles and a pair of homers, Meidroth’s emergence adds some much-needed spark to a lineup that’s lacked consistency. Andrew Benintendi, hitting .257 over his last 10 games with four doubles, has also begun to warm up at the plate.
Both teams come in with nearly identical offensive production over their last 10 games — the Astros hitting .227 to the White Sox’s .226 — but Houston holds the edge in ERA at 3.44 compared to Chicago’s 4.04. That said, the Astros have been outscored by five runs over that stretch, and will need to clean up a few things on both sides of the ball to avoid falling into a mini-slide during this six-game homestand.
First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET from Daikin Park, with Houston looking to reassert itself against a team it hasn’t solved yet this season. A win would not only even the series — it would also be a reminder that the Astros remain very much in control of their own narrative heading into the summer grind.
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -181, White Sox +150; over/under is 8 1/2 runs.
Here's an early look at Houston's lineup for Game 2
Wednesday night matchup.
⚾️: 7:10 PM
🏟️: Closed
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— Houston Astros (@astros) June 11, 2025
Jacob Melton is hitting last and remains the left fielder with Altuve back at second base. Diaz is once again in the cleanup spot as Walker is hitting fifth. Victor Caratini will hit behind Walker and serve as the DH. Otherwise, a pretty typical lineup for Joe Espada's club.
*ChatGPT assisted.
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