Brad Ausmus didn’t waste any time laying out the standard in Houston.
The Astros’ new manager made it plain that the usual checkpoints - getting to October, taking the division - are only part of the job. For him, the bar is higher.
“Making the playoffs, great step. Winning the division, great step. But the goal every single year should be to win the World Series,” Ausmus said.
Houston officially introduced Ausmus as its new manager, and he becomes the 21st skipper in franchise history. He’ll wear No. 12 as he steps back into an organization where he spent 10 seasons as a player.
That return clearly means something to him. Ausmus, a former catcher, said Houston is the team that comes to mind when he thinks about his playing days.
“This is a place where for 10 years I was a player and looking back on my career if I picture myself it’s wearing an Astros uniform,” Ausmus said.
His time with the club came in two stretches. He played for Houston from 1997 to 1998, then came back in 2001 and stayed through the 2008 season. Along the way, he was part of the Astros team that reached the World Series in 2005 and helped them win division titles in 1997 and 1998.
Ausmus also revealed that his path back to Houston wasn’t exactly straightforward. He said he first interviewed for the Astros’ general manager job before the team hired Randy Flores.
After that interview, he believed he was probably out of the running, though he was encouraged by the possibility of being considered for the managerial opening. Flores was hired the next day, and the Astros kept moving through their search for Joe Espada’s replacement.
Jeff Bagwell was part of that process as well, and he reached out to Ausmus during the search. The two go way back from their time together in Houston, but Bagwell made it clear his support wasn’t just about old ties.
In an exclusive interview with MLB.com, Bagwell said his recommendation was based on Ausmus’ credentials rather than their friendship.
“I told Jim and I told Flo, I am not banging the table for Brad,” Bagwell said.
Bagwell was involved in the search with Flores and owner Jim Crane as the Astros weighed their options for the job.
Ausmus brings previous managerial experience with him, having led the Detroit Tigers from 2014 to 2017 and the Los Angeles Angels in 2019. He spent the last three seasons as the New York Yankees’ bench coach before getting the chance to return to Houston.
Now he takes over an Astros club that is trying to get back on track after an early exit in the 2026 playoffs. And if Ausmus’ opening message is any indication, the target in Houston hasn’t changed one bit.
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