Joe Espada didn’t sound like a manager trying to smooth things over after a win Tuesday night in the Bronx. He sounded like a man drawing a line.
That mattered for the Astros, because the last few days have been anything but calm. Houston had already moved on from general manager Dana Brown, and that immediately kicked up speculation about Espada’s future, too.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that one high-ranking Astros official said Espada would not get a new contract after the season. But owner Jim Crane pushed back on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium, telling reporters, including The Athletic, that Espada will stay on for the rest of the season and that any decision on his future will wait until after the year.
For now, the final month belongs to Espada. And the Astros are still very much in the fight. Houston entered Wednesday in first place in the American League West after opening its series against the New York Yankees with a huge win.
That backdrop made the 9-7 victory over the Yankees on Tuesday night feel even bigger. The Astros were coming off a painful collapse against the Athletics on Sunday, a game they lost after leading 6-0. Espada also missed that game because of a family emergency, which only added to the sense that Houston needed to steady itself quickly.
After the win over New York, Espada’s message was direct.
"We needed to come out here today and play this way. This is the way we needed to come here and play today.
Any other way wasn't going to be acceptable. We needed to come here and play like a team that is hunting to win a division and we did," Espada said per Chandler Rome of The Athletic (subscription required).
It was a sharp-edged answer from the 50-year-old manager, and it fit the moment. The Astros had to answer after a stunning home series loss to the worst team in baseball, and Espada made sure there was no mistaking what he expects from his club now.
That tone may be exactly what Houston needs as the season tightens. The Astros are staring at a demanding finish, and the path ahead is packed with difficult opponents: three games at the Philadelphia Phillies, three against the Atlanta Braves, four against the Chicago White Sox, three against the Arizona Diamondbacks and three at the AL-leading Tampa Bay Rays.
If the Astros are going to keep this thing alive and avoid a second straight season without a postseason berth, they’ll need more nights like Tuesday - and more of the edge Espada showed afterward.
In Other News...
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Joe Espada has said he expects Correa to play again at some point in September, a notable shift for a player who was thought to be facing a much longer road back. Correa had been producing well before the injury, and the possibility of getting him back before the end of the regular season gives Houston a late boost it did not appear to have on the horizon. The bigger question now is how soon the Astros can put him back in the mix and what role theyll be ready to give him once hes there. [Read more 🡒]
Carlos Correas Progress Could Force Tough Astros Lineup Decisions
Carlos Correa is edging closer to a return, and the Astros are starting to think through what his presence might mean for the lineup once he is back from a left ankle tendon injury. Manager Joe Espada expects Correa to be ready at some point in September, and the shortstop has already resumed baseball activities, including fielding ground balls and taking batting practice, before he heads out for minor-league rehab games.
For Houston, the bigger question may not be Correas availability so much as how to fit him in once he is activated. The club is weighing possible lineup adjustments involving Correa, Isaac Paredes, Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez, a reminder that getting one veteran bat back can create a ripple effect elsewhere on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Prospect Jason Schiavone Is Forcing A Bigger Conversation
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Schiavones season line is now .261/.402/.551, and his 29 home runs lead Astros prospects, a production level that has made him one of the more interesting names in the system. Astros director of player development Sam Niedorf has already pointed to Schiavones work ethic and development, and with the way he has kept driving the ball, the conversation around what comes next is getting harder to keep in the background. [Read more 🡒]