Two Potential Replacements for Joe Espada as Astros Manager in 2027

The Houston Astros announced Wednesday that Joe Espada’s contract, which was set to expire at the end of the month, will not be renewed. Espada had served as the club’s manager since 2024. He will now be a free agent.

Espada isn’t the only one leaving the coaching staff. Omar Lopez was offered another role, and five coaches are being replaced, while four are staying (Josh Miller, Dave Clark, Jason Bell, and Victor Rodriguez).

The Astros had an up-and-down season and fired their former general manager, Dana Brown, back in August.

Espada’s contract not being renewed isn’t entirely surprising, given the team’s constant struggles. Despite the challenges, Espada helped them make the playoffs. However, their record of 81-81 makes that slightly less impressive. Houston finished with the worst record ever for a division winner, and they got swept by the  White Sox for a very short playoff run. It was an ugly way to end an ugly season.

Aside from a rough season for the team in general, Espada has an 0-4 record in the playoffs, and the Astros’ playoff streak was broken with Espada as manager in 2025. Looking at things closely, Espada has a rough track record with this team.

While there are no confirmed replacements, there are a handful of names swirling around the baseball world.

According to Brian McTaggart, these are the 10 names with the potential of becoming the new manager: Brad Ausmus, Jeff Banister, Morgan Ensberg, John Gibbons, Brandon Hyde, Danny Lehmann, Rodney Linares, Martín Maldonado, Albert Pujols, and David Ross.

Here is a closer look at Brad Ausmus, a former Astros catcher with MLB managerial experience; Martín Maldonado, a former Astros catcher who knows the organization; Rodney Linares, a former Astros minor-league manager with deep organizational ties; and Albert Pujols, a former Cardinals star with managerial experience outside MLB.

This team needs solid management to be great. They have the pieces, but they seem to need someone to help them put the puzzle together.

So, out of these, the two best options right now would be Rodney Linares or Brad Ausmus.

The top pick would be Linares. He knows the Astros organization and spent more than 20 years in Houston’s system. He also has managerial experience. He managed in the Astros’ minor-league system before becoming an MLB coach. With the Astros team about to be on the younger side in the next few years as the veterans retire, having organizational experience and managerial experience would be extremely beneficial. Not to mention, all of his time gives him a deeper understanding of player development, which is the exact kind of leg up a young team needs.

The second choice would be Brad Ausmus, because he has MLB managerial experience and knows Houston. He is currently a bench coach for the New York Yankees, but he could step back into a managerial role.

As for the team, adjustments will need to be made. After an 81-81 season, the Astros now face the challenge of finding a new manager and building chemistry between the new coaching staff and the players.