Houston Astros appear to be slow playing managerial hire, this could be why
PRESENTED BY COORS LIGHT
08 November 2023
The MLB offseason is in full swing with several teams hiring their new managers over the last several days. Craig Counsell is joining the Cubs and resetting the manager market, making $8 million per season.
The Mets are reportedly hiring Carlos Mendoza this week, and the Guardians opted to hire Stephen Vogt. So with all this movement taking place, what are the Astros doing on the manager front?
Dana Brown spoke with the media last week and said the team had not interviewed any candidates, and that might begin at the GM meetings this week. But why is this taking so long? Aren't they concerned that the top choices won't be available at this pace?
Are the Astros taking their sweet time because they already know who they want to hire? Bob Nightengale recently reported that Brown is in favor of promoting Astros bench coach Joe Espada. However, Nightengale also reported Jim Crane might be looking to make a splash with a bigger name.
So what's the holdup? Finding a bigger name to manage could get tougher by the day, with most teams much further along in the hiring process. And who would even be a big name in this hiring cycle?
We all heard reports about Dusty Baker and Dana Brown not seeing eye to eye on playing time for Yainer Diaz and Chas McCormick. Dusty Baker had the power to set the lineup how he saw fit, and Baker won a power struggle over former GM James Click last year.
With all this in mind, how much power does the Astros GM really have if he can't influence lineup decisions and hire his top choice for manager?
Is all this a dog and pony show for the club to eventually hire Brad Ausmus? Who many believe Jeff Bagwell would like to see hired. Or will Joe Espada get the gig?
Be sure to watch the video above as we examine what's really going on with the Astros manager search.
And subscribe to SportsMapHouston on YouTube for our latest videos.
Presented by Coors Light.
Mauricio Dubón homered twice and Josh Hader stayed perfect in 19 save chances this season by getting Mike Trout to line out to center field with a runner on second as the Houston Astros held off the Los Angeles Angels 8-7 in the rubber game of their series Sunday.
DUBI SENDS ONE OUT! #VoteDubi ⭐️ https://t.co/W06pfHQMR1 pic.twitter.com/XqKhVxPgOs
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 22, 2025
Dubón's second career multihomer game began with a leadoff shot against starter Kyle Hendricks in the fifth inning for the Astros' first run. Dubón added a two-run drive off Hunter Strickland for a 6-5 lead in the sixth.
DOUBLE DUBI DAY! #VoteDubi ⭐️ https://t.co/W06pfHRkGz pic.twitter.com/4dx2q3rvUa
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 22, 2025
Jeremy Peña had an RBI double and Jake Meyers added a sacrifice fly to make it 8-5.
Nolan Schanuel hit an RBI single for the Angels in the seventh, and Zach Neto trimmed it to 8-7 with a solo homer off Hader in the ninth. Schanuel finished with three hits and four RBIs.
Peña hit his 11th home run one out after Dubón’s shot in the fifth to tie it 2-all. Meyers singled, stole second and scored on a two-out error by Luis Rengifo at third base. Christian Walker followed with an RBI double for a 4-2 lead.
Taylor Ward had a two-out double off Astros rookie Ryan Gusto, and Logan O'Hoppe hit his third two-run homer in two days to give the Angels a 2-0 lead in the second. O'Hoppe has 17 home runs and is closing in on the team record for a catcher set by Lance Parrish with 22 in 1990.
LaMonte Wade Jr. and Christian Moore singled in the bottom half, and Schanuel gave the Angels a 5-4 lead with his sixth homer.
Gusto (5-3) allowed five runs and six hits in six innings with seven strikeouts.
Hendricks permitted five runs — three earned — in five innings. Strickland (1-2) worked an inning and was tagged with his first three earned runs this season.
Key moment
The Angels had a run in with two on and two outs down 8-6 in the seventh with Trout coming to bat. Bryan Abreu replaced Bryan King and needed just three pitches to strike out Trout swinging on a pitch in the dirt.
Key stat
Trout went 1 for 11 after entering the series as the active leader against Houston with 30 homers, 30 doubles and 73 RBIs.
Up next
Houston returns home to play the Philadelphia Phillies beginning Tuesday.
The Angels hadn't announced a starter for Monday's series opener against RHP Walker Buehler (5-5, 5.95 ERA) and the visiting Boston Red Sox.
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