Report: Astros Expected to Hire Brad Ausmus as Manager
The short version: Brad Ausmus is expected to be named the next manager of the Houston Astros, according to MLB.com, though the team hasn’t confirmed it yet. Ausmus caught more games than anyone in Astros history and spent the last three seasons as the Yankees’ bench coach. He would replace Joe Espada, whose contract wasn’t renewed after three seasons and two division titles.
Who Is Brad Ausmus?
Astros fans know the name. Ausmus spent 10 of his 18 big league seasons in Houston across two stints and caught more games than any catcher in franchise history. He won three Gold Gloves as an Astro and was part of the teams that won the NL Central in 1997 and 1998, reached the NLCS in 2004 and made the World Series in 2005.
His biggest moment came in Game 4 of the 2005 NLDS against Atlanta. With two outs in the ninth, Ausmus hit a game-tying home run, and the Astros won 7-6 in 18 innings. He has called that homer the highlight of his career, even if the World Series run was more fun.
What Is Brad Ausmus’s Managing Record?
This is where it gets more complicated. Ausmus has managed two big league teams:
Tigers (2014-17): won the AL Central in his first season and won 86 games in 2016.
Angels (2019): one season, 72-90, and he was let go.
That adds up to a career record of 386-422. He also managed Team Israel in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, going 2-2 without advancing.
Since then, he’s spent three years as Aaron Boone’s bench coach in New York. He’s also interviewed with Houston before, for both the manager and general manager jobs.
Is Ausmus the Right Hire for the Astros?
I’ll give Houston credit for one thing: they hired someone who has actually managed. When Seattle hired Jason Kanzler, I said my concern wasn’t his age, it was that he had never run a bench. Ausmus has done the job, has been through a division title and a firing, and has spent three years in the Yankees’ dugout seeing how a contender operates every day.
The losing record is fair to question, but context matters. His Tigers teams were aging, and that Angels roster had Mike Trout and not much else. A manager’s record usually tells you more about the roster he inherited than the manager himself.
What gives me some pause is how connected this hire is. Jeff Bagwell, now a senior advisor to ownership, was involved in the search, and he and Ausmus are former teammates and close friends. That doesn’t make it a bad hire. But when a former teammate gets the job, the front office has to be sure it’s hiring the best manager, not the most comfortable one.
Why Did the Astros Move On From Joe Espada?
Espada won two division titles in three seasons, which would be enough to keep most managers employed. But Houston isn’t most teams. The Astros led the majors with 226 home runs this year and have the AL MVP favorite in Yordan Alvarez, and they were still swept on the road by the White Sox in the Wild Card Series. For a franchise that has played in four World Series since 2017, a quick October exit isn’t good enough.
What Else Is Changing in Houston?
The new manager is just one piece of a big front office and coaching shake-up:
New GM. Randy Flores, the Cardinals’ former assistant GM, took over two weeks ago, replacing Dana Brown.
Coaches out. The Astros didn’t renew five coaches, including third base coach Tony Perezchica and assistant pitching coach Ethan Katz.
Coaches staying. Pitching coach Josh Miller, hitting coach Victor Rodriguez and first base coach Dave Clark are back.
A new bench coach is coming. Omar López is staying in the organization, but he’s moving out of that role.
And for my fellow Red Sox fans: Houston’s field coordinator, Jason Bell, left to join Boston.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the new Astros manager?
Brad Ausmus is expected to be named Astros manager, according to MLB.com. The team had not officially confirmed it as of this writing.
Who did Brad Ausmus replace?
Joe Espada, whose contract wasn’t renewed after three seasons and two division titles.
What is Brad Ausmus’s career managing record?
386-422 across four seasons with the Tigers (2014-17) and one with the Angels (2019).
Did Brad Ausmus play for the Astros?
Yes. He spent 10 seasons with Houston across two stints, caught more games than any catcher in franchise history, and played on the 2005 World Series team.
Who is the Astros’ general manager?
Randy Flores, hired in late October 2026 to replace Dana Brown.
Where can I hear more?
We’ll talk about every manager hire on Rounding Third, live Sunday and Thursday nights on YouTube and Facebook. Read more in The Rounding Third Rundown, or explore every show on the Rounding Third Media Network.
