Houston Astros owner Jim Crane indicated on Monday that the team's playoff appearance will play a role in the decision regarding manager Joe Espada's future. Espada's contract is set to expire at the end of the season.
Crane mentioned that no recent discussions have taken place about a new deal for Espada, and that he plans to sit down with the manager to discuss matters once the season concludes. When asked if the Astros winning the AL West and reaching the postseason after missing it last year would influence the decision, Crane told The Associated Press, "All positives are positives. All negatives are negatives. So I think that would be something to consider when we make the decision."
The Astros' journey to the playoffs this season has been notable. They secured a postseason spot despite finishing the regular season with an 81-81 record, making them the first team in Major League Baseball history to reach the playoffs without a winning record. This achievement allowed them to outlast the Texas Rangers and advance to the Wild Card Series.
Espada's tenure has faced scrutiny, particularly following the team's decision to part ways with general manager Dana Brown last month. Crane, however, does not believe Brown's departure significantly impacted the team's performance at the end of the season. "I don’t think it had a lot to do with what happened, you know, whether we won or we lost," Crane said. "It was a courtesy actually to give him some time because we weren’t going to renew his contract."
Following Brown's exit on August 24, assistant general managers Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey, and Connor Huff, along with senior adviser Jeff Bagwell, assumed his responsibilities. Crane addressed questions about the unconventional move of parting with a general manager during a playoff contention period, stating with a laugh, "I guess they’re working pretty good — we got into the playoffs. I think everything’s fine. We’ve got a number of assistant general managers filling in, and so our communication is good. Everything’s running smooth, ready for a win."
The Astros are scheduled to host the Chicago White Sox in a best-of-three Wild Card Series, beginning Tuesday. This marks the Astros' ninth playoff appearance in the last 10 years, a period during which they have reached the ALCS seven consecutive times from 2017 to 2023 and appeared in the World Series four times, securing championships in 2017 and 2022.
Crane emphasized the team's consistent goal of winning and making deep playoff runs. "We’ve always said we’re here to win and we’re here to make the playoffs and make a deep run in the playoffs, and we’ve done that consistently," he said. "So getting in the playoffs is a big deal. If you don’t, you don’t have a chance."