The Houston Astros, after squeaking into the MLB playoffs with an 81-81 record, have been eliminated in just a couple of games after the Chicago White Sox came into Daikin Park as the third AL Wild Card and handled business.
It might be time for a managerial change, as the noise is going to get very loud surrounding manager Joe Espada.
Well, quickly after their quick playoff exit, many baseball pundits are already calling for Joe Espada to get the boot from the Astros organization.
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Manager Joe Espada Might Be First Manager Fired This Offseason
In a recent piece for FanSided.com, writer Jake Elman is predicting the Astros to cut ties with manager Joe Espada:
“Espada entered these playoffs knowing that he needed a deep run to have any chance to make himself indispensable moving forward, and safe to say that didn’t happen. Is that entirely his fault? Of course not; this is an aging, misshapen roster with holes all over the place, ones that no manager could have overcome. But Espada has hardly covered himself in glory during his time with the Astros, either, and ultimately it’s hard not to feel like a house-clearing is needed. (Whether Crane is the right guy to lead it is another question entirely.)”
The Astros fired team GM Dana Brown halfway through the 2026 season, and Elman notes that whoever the new top executive is, they will likely want a new skipper in the home dugout for their tenure.
Of course, Espada isn’t the one playing on the baseball diamond, but ever since Dusty Baker retired, manager Joe Espada has not lived up to the expectations placed on him. Houston still has a very solid roster, and while the pitching staff didn’t do Espada any favors, especially this season, the Astros’ woes (and any team woes, for that matter) are going to fall on the manager.
So, with all that being said, yeah, there’s a good chance that Espada will be the first manager fired once the new league-year cycle begins.
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Who Could Astros Hire to Replace Joe Espada?
The two names that immediately come to mind as replacements for Joe Espada are Carlos Beltran and Alex Cora.
Both the Mets and Red Sox have decided to retain their interim managers, which means Cora and Beltran still stand out as the top options to become an MLB manager in 2027.
Another name to keep an eye on is Rob Thomson, who was relieved of his duties earlier this season after a disastrous start with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Either way, obviously Espada would have to be relieved of his managerial position first, but speculation season is now on for the Houston Astros.
Houston Astros Predicted to Cut Ties with Manager Joe Espada After Quick White Sox Series