Houston Astros Choose Brad Ausmus as Next Manager

The Houston Astros have their manager. The team is set to hire former Tigers and Angels manager and now former Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus as the team's next manager.

Brian McTaggart of MLB.com was the first to report the signing.

What does it mean?

New York Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After letting go of both Dana Brown and Joe Espada during and after the season, respectively, the Astros were going for a full regime change. On Oct. 30, the team hired Randy Flores as the team's general manager—after interviewing Ausmus for the role—and now chose to be the team's next skipper.

Ausmus' managerial record is not that great. In the five-year stint between the two teams, he posted a 386-422 record, equating to a .478 winning percentage. His best season was his first with Detroit back in 2014, leading them to an AL Central crown, but they were swept in the ALDS by the Orioles.

His last stint as a manager was in 2019 with the Angels, and it did not go well. He took some time off before returning to be a coach on the Athletics 2022 staff before departing at the end of the season. Since 2024, he's had a seat next to Aaron Boone in the Yankees dugout. In those three seasons, the Yankees have made the postseason in each, and in 2024, they made the World Series. While Ausmus was not the one in charge, he did influence on-field and lineup decisions.

Other Candidates

Former major league star Albert Pujols. Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Astros interviewed other candidates like Albert Pujols, Morgan Ensberg (Rays' Triple-A manager), and Luis Urueta (Rangers' bench coach). Of the three, none have any major-league managerial experience, which might have given Ausmus the advantage.

The other thing that might have given Ausmus the advantage is his relationship with owner Jim Crane. Ausmus was a franchise icon as a player, the backstop on their way to the franchise's first pennant, way back in their National League days.

This should be a bit of a concern to Astros fans. Flores should have had more of a voice in the hire, and it ended up being the person who's failed in the role in the past. It could work, given the new voices in the front office, but the concern should be how much of an input Crane is going to have on the day-to-day baseball operations going forward. Flores and Ausmus should have the ultimate say, and Crane should not have heavy input.

Now that the team has a manager, offseason decisions can begin to be made in terms of trades and signings.

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