M’s to interview Astros’ Joe Espada for managerial vacancy
Published 11:55 am Tuesday, October 13, 2026
HOUSTON — Houston Astros manager Joe Espada, whose status with the franchise remains in doubt, will meet with the Seattle Mariners regarding their managerial vacancy, a source who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to candidly discuss ongoing hiring processes confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday.
Espada’s contract with the Astros expires at the end of the month. Houston already dismissed general manager Dana Brown in mid-August, at which time owner Jim Crane said Espada’s status would be revisited after the season. Brown hired Espada as Houston’s manager after the 2023 season.
Crane has offered no comment or clarity on Espada’s future in the 14 days since Houston’s season concluded. That the team is also searching for a general manager makes it possible that Crane may allow whomever he hires to choose their own manager.
Doing so would be a departure from Crane’s last two general manager searches, when both Brown and James Click were hired after Dusty Baker had already been in place as manager.
MLB.com first reported Espada’s interview with the Mariners, who seek a replacement for Dan Wilson. He was fired after an underwhelming 2026 season that followed a 2025 playoff run fraught with questionable decision-making. Wilson finished his Mariners tenure with a record of 187-171 and the 2025 American League West title — one Seattle captured over Espada’s Astros.
Espada has guided the Astros to a 256-229 record and two American League West titles in three seasons, but is winless in four playoff games as Houston’s manager. The 2026 Astros won the division despite an 81-81 record — the worst of any playoff team in MLB history — and were swept in two games by the Chicago White Sox in a Wild Card Series at Daikin Park.
After the Astros’ season-ending loss against the White Sox, Espada said he “absolutely” wanted to return and manage the Astros in 2027, but deferred to Crane’s process in selecting Houston’s next baseball brain trust. On Sept. 30, Espada said he expected to speak with Crane “in the next day or two.” It’s unclear if that discussion has happened.
“I’ve been a part of some really special years,” said Espada, who joined the Astros’ organization in 2018 as A.J. Hinch’s bench coach.
“That’s every coach (and) every manager’s dream — to be able to coach and lead players like this in an organization that gives you the opportunity to always get the best players so you can consistently win divisions and go to the World Series.”
After he dismissed Brown, Crane gave Espada a tepid vote of confidence, claiming the 51-year-old skipper “is doing what he can do with what he’s got” — perhaps shifting blame to a poorly constructed roster and self-imposed payroll parameters for some of Houston’s underperformance.
“He’s a good manager,” Crane said. “He keeps an eye on things.”
