Astros Lose Longtime Coach to Major League Rival

Coach Jason Bell of the Houston Astros looks on during the game against the Seattle Mariners in the first inning at Daikin Park on May 24, 2025 in Houston, Texas.

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Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images

After their 2026 campaign ended in a disappointing fashion by being swept in the American League Wild Card series by the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Astros made the bold move to overhaul their leadership by parting ways with manager Joe Espada and six other coaches.

And after multiple coaches have left the organization, another notable member of the staff has departed and taken a role with an American League rival club.

Jason Bell, who spent a decade with the club as Major League field coordinator and outfield coach, is departing Houston to join the Boston Red Sox.

Longtime Houston Astros Coach Departing For The Boston Red Sox

Championship Series - Houston Astros v New York Yankees - Game Three — GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 22: A Houston Astros hat and glove are seen in the dugout during the fourth inning in game three of the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on October 22, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The Red Sox are hiring longtime Astros Major League field coordinator and outfield coach, according to beat writer Brian McTaggart.

“Source: Jason Bell, who served last year as the Astros’ Major League field coordinator and outfield coach and had spent a decade with the organization, is leaving the club to join the Major League staff with the Boston Red Sox,” McTaggart wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Bell began coaching in college before joining the Astros organization in 2017 as a development coach. He managed the Tri-City ValleyCats to a league championship in 2018, then spent several years in Houston’s player-development system before reaching the major league staff in 2024.

Bell served as the Astros’ field coordinator and outfield coach in 2025 and 2026, while also gaining international experience with Puerto Rico and Israel.

The Astros Did Not Retain Manager Joe Espada

Despite reaching the postseason for the ninth time in 10 years, the Astros decided to go in a different direction after their loss in the AL Wild Card series against the White Sox by not retaining manager Joe Espada.

“We are thankful for Joe’s hard work, his passion for the game and for his commitment to the Houston Astros,” Astros owner Jim Crane said in a statement. “He represented the Astros and the Houston community in the most positive way. We wish he and his family the best moving forward.”