Two Prominent Houston Astros Have Expressed Concerns Over New Skipper
The struggles for the Houston Astros have only continued in recent weeks, going 4-6 in their last 10 games. After starting the season as one of the worst teams in baseball, the hope was for them to figure it out shortly. Almost 40 games into the season, the Astros haven't put anything together, sitting in last place in the American League West with a 14-25 record.
Manager Joe Espada hasn't enjoyed his first season. In his defense, it's tough to coach a team with the amount of injuries Houston does. The pitching staff continues to get crushed by injuries, which is the last thing this team as a whole needs.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the front office plans to give Espada plenty of time due to their injuries. However, Nightengale reported that two prominent players have privately expressed complaints about his communication skills recently.
"The Houston Astros plan to give rookie manager Joe Espada plenty of time to see if they turn their season around, particularly with their pitching injuries, but two prominent players have privately expressed complaints about Espada’s communication skills in recent weeks."
It's uncertain who the two players are at the moment as the Astros have more prominent players than anyone in baseball.
Tension is certainly high for the organization for the first time in a very long time. After dealing with the cheating scandal, mostly everything has been free and easy. They go out, win games, and no one says a thing about them besides how good they are.
Now, struggling for the first time in almost a decade, everything is looked at under a microscope. That's particularly true for Espada, who has one of the toughest jobs in baseball.
If Houston decides to move on from Espada, Nightengale reported that Alex Cora and Skip Schumaker will be the two hottest managers on the market this offseason.
Cora and Schumaker have experience, something that could interest the front office if they decide to go in a different direction.
JON CONAHAN
Jon Conahan has been covering all major sports since 2019. He is a 2022 graduate of the Bellisario School of Journalism at Penn State University and previously played D1 baseball.