The Houston Astros are set to appoint bench coach Joe Espada as their new manager, according to multiple reports.
Espada will succeed Dusty Baker, who retired in October after the Astros were eliminated by the Texas Rangers in the ALCS. Baker managed 26 MLB seasons and led the Astros to a World Series championship in 2022.
A former minor league player, Espada, 48, has worked as a coach for the Miami Marlins and New York Yankees before joining the Astros in 2018 under A.J. Hinch. He continued as a coach when Baker took over as manager in 2020.
Espada has long been considered a top candidate for the manager position upon Baker’s retirement. He was a finalist for the Marlins job last season before they hired Skip Schumaker.
Although the Astros have not confirmed the hiring, they have called a news conference for Monday where they are expected to officially introduce Espada as their manager. Espada will lead a team that has reached the ALCS in seven consecutive seasons and is poised to contend for World Series titles in the future.
