The Houston Astros, after dropping out of 2025 postseason contention, are going to spend some time this offseason reevaluating their organization for the 2026 season and beyond.
While player personnel will always be in flux, the Astros might be looking to make some changes elsewhere. The medical staff will definitely be in conversations, but so could the coaching staff.
As Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports, the Astros are going to evaluate all departments of their organization in the offseason. In turn, the job security of manager Joe Espada isn't entirely safe.
Joe Espada could be fired after the Astros' 2025 collapse
"One Astros executive, when asked by USA TODAY Sports whether they (Joe Espada and Dana Brown) could be dismissed - with Brown having a club option that has yet to be picked up - simply said that all departments, on the baseball and business side, are currently being evaluated." Nightengale writes. "Espada's job security would seem more tenuous than Brown's."
Houston finished the year on a poor note, dropping a key series to the Seattle Mariners at home, getting swept, and essentially losing the AL West title. Also, despite adding three players at the deadline, the team couldn't maintain its lead in the division.
At 86-75 with one game to go, the Astros are officially eliminated from postseason contention. It's the first time Houston hasn't been in the postseason since 2016.
The cost of such a second-half collapse might be the job of Joe Espada. Nightengale linked Houston to A.J. Hinch as a potential option if the Detroit Tigers don't extend the former Astros skipper, but the chances of a reunion are very slim.
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However, this report does open the door to the Astros moving on from Espada this offseason, after a disappointing finish to the year. It'd be a brutal change from where Espada was at midseason, when he was viewed as an AL Manager of the Year candidate.
Houston has dealt with a ton of injuries this season, with Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Pena, Isaac Paredes, Jake Meyers, and a slew of pitchers, including Josh Hader, all missing significant time this season.
Overcoming those injuries would've made for an incredible managerial performance from Espada, but falling short has the Astros skipper on the hot seat, even with a lot of the cards stacked against him.
It could be the end of an era for the Astros, as the struggles of the team in September and August have culminated in a missed postseason berth, and the potential firing of Espada after Houston's front office reevaluates the team this offseason.
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