The United States’ Houston Astros have appointed former catcher Brad Ausmus as manager after declining to renew Joe Espada’s contract. Ausmus, 57, spent ten playing seasons with Houston and most recently worked on the New York Yankees’ coaching staff. His return follows a division title and an early playoff exit for the Astros, who finished the season with as many defeats as victories.
Sports··Night
Houston appoint a former player after Espada’s exit
The Houston Astros, a United States Major League Baseball club, have hired Brad Ausmus as manager. General manager Randy Flores confirmed the appointment on 11 November, with an introduction scheduled for Friday. The 57-year-old former catcher replaces Joe Espada, whose contract was not renewed after Houston’s wild-card series defeat to the Chicago White Sox.[1], [2]
Houston finished the season with 81 wins and 81 defeats but still took the American League West title. The club then lost every game of its opening playoff series against Chicago. Ausmus said he was excited to return to a city and team that had formed a large part of his life. Flores praised the leadership, energy and expertise Ausmus displayed during the interviews.[1]
Ausmus brings five seasons of managerial experience
Ausmus previously led the Detroit Tigers from 2014 to 2017 and the Los Angeles Angels in 2019. Across those jobs he recorded 386 wins and 422 defeats. His first Detroit season was his strongest: the Tigers won the American League Central with a 90-72 record before the Baltimore Orioles swept them in the division series. His four-year Detroit total was 314-332.[1]
His single season with the Angels ended with 72 wins and 90 defeats. Since 2024 he had worked as New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone’s bench coach, a senior assistant role. Ausmus also has front-office experience: he served as a special assistant to baseball operations in San Diego from 2011 to 2013, then as a special assistant to the Angels’ general manager in 2018.[1]
A ten-season Astros playing career precedes the return
Ausmus played for Houston in 1997-1998 and again from 2001 through 2008, accounting for ten of his 18 major-league seasons. He won all three of his Gold Glove fielding awards with the Astros and was an All-Star selection in 1999. He retired as a player in 2010 after a career that also included the Padres, Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers.[1]
Across 1,971 major-league appearances, he hit 80 home runs, drove in 607 runs and scored 718 himself, with a .251 batting average. Houston had considered him for its managerial vacancy in 2020 and its general manager opening in 2022. The new appointment follows those earlier interviews and his subsequent spell on the Yankees’ staff.[1]
