The Astros are moving on from Joe Espada, but most of his staff is sticking around.
Houston announced today that Espada will not return for the 2027 season. That news isn’t exactly a shock, considering the club already gave the Seattle Mariners permission to speak with him about Seattle’s vacant managerial job.
What stands out is who’s still in place. Pitching coach Josh Miller, hitting coach Victor Rodriguez, first base coach Dave Clark, major league field coordinator Jason Bell and bullpen catcher Javier Bracamonte are all reportedly coming back for 2027.
The rest of the staff is getting reshuffled. The Astros are not bringing back assistant hitting coach Anthony Iapoce, assistant pitching coach Ethan Katz, third base coach Tony Perezchica, game planning coach Tommy Kawamura or catching instructor Tim Cossins. Iapoce, for what it’s worth, was the Rangers’ hitting coach under Jeff Banister from 2016-18.
It’s an unusual setup. Houston doesn’t have a manager or general manager right now, and under normal circumstances, a new GM would come in, hire a manager, and let that manager build out the coaching staff. Instead, the next GM and next manager will apparently be walking into a staff that already has several holdovers they’ll be expected to work with.
As for who the Astros might interview for either opening, there hasn’t been anything clear yet, at least not from what’s been reported. If it’s been out there, it’s buried somewhere in the haze - a lotta ins, a lotta outs, a lotta what-have-yous. A lotta strands in ol’ Duder’s head.
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