The Astros’ search for a new general manager has already sparked one familiar name, but A.J. Hinch does not appear to be part of that conversation.
After Houston fired Dana Brown, questions quickly surfaced about whether the Tigers manager might be interested in a return to the organization where he managed from 2015 to 2019. That speculation has now been shut down, at least for the time being, by Bob Nightengale of USA Today, who reported that Hinch “has no interest at this time” in taking over the GM job.
Nightengale noted that Hinch remains “beloved” inside the Astros organization and still has a strong relationship with owner Jim Crane, but he said Hinch “wants to remain in the role” as Detroit’s skipper. He also pointed out that Hinch received a contract extension from the Tigers at the end of last season.
“While Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch still is beloved in the Houston Astros organization and has a strong relationship with owner Jim Crane, he has no interest at this time of filling their GM vacancy,” Nightengale wrote. “He received a contract extension from the Tigers at the end of last season and wants to remain in the role.”
As Houston sorts through its next move, Nightengale said the club is looking for someone with “a strong analytics background.” He also reported last Monday that the Astros are “likely” to pursue candidates from the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays or Cleveland Guardians.
“They will look for a full-time GM in the offseason, likely trying to hire someone from the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays or Cleveland Guardians,” Nightengale wrote. “It’s possible that they could turn to [Jeff] Bagwell, if he shows strong interest in the job, with [Charles] Cook expected to get a strong look as someone who’s highly regarded by the organization.”
For now, the Astros are still weighing their options as they try to get back to their winning ways.
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