Astros Manager Search Tracker: Latest News on Houston's Next Manager

This story is being updated as the Astros' manager search develops. Last updated: Oct. 30, 2026, 9:15 PM CT.

The Astros' manager search can now begin in earnest. Houston hired Randy Flores as general manager Friday night, and MLB.com's Brian McTaggart wrote that "Flores' first task will be finding a manager to replace Joe Espada, whose contract wasn't renewed after three seasons on the job." At MLB Trade Rumors, Anthony Franco wrote that "Flores will be tasked with leading the managerial search." For the full GM timeline that got Houston here, see our GM search tracker. Here's everything we know on the manager search, newest first.

Latest updates

Oct. 30, 8:26 PM CT: The Athletic's Chandler Rome floated Albert Pujols as an idea tied to Flores' Cardinals background, then labeled it himself: "Because of where Randy Flores is coming from, this is going to be automatic speculation. And that's all this is. But can you imagine Albert Pujols managing the Astros?" This is speculation Rome tagged as speculation, not a report of contact or interest from Houston.

Oct. 30, 7:29 PM CT: Shortly after the Flores hire, USA Today's Bob Nightengale wrote: "Now that former Cardinals assistant GM Randy Flores is the Houston Astros GM, Cardinals coaches Daniel Descalso and Jon Jay are natural candidates for their managerial vacancy." That is Nightengale's opinion that they are "natural candidates," not a report that the Astros have contacted either coach.

Oct. 30, 7:17 PM CT: The Astros hired Randy Flores as general manager, The Athletic's Chandler Rome posted, saying the club "just announced" the move. USA Today's Bob Nightengale confirmed. MLB.com's Brian McTaggart relayed owner Jim Crane's announcement that Flores "has been hired as the Astros new general manager" and "becomes the 15th general manager in franchise history." McTaggart's MLB.com hire story later put the manager job at the top of Flores' to-do list. (Our story.)

How we got here

On Oct. 14, the Astros announced they would not renew Joe Espada's contract after three seasons. MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reported: "Less than two months after they parted ways with general manager Dana Brown, the Astros announced Wednesday they would not renew the contract of manager Joe Espada, who won two American League West titles in three seasons on the job." Crane said in a statement: "We are thankful for Joe's hard work, his passion for the game and for his commitment to the Houston Astros. He represented the Astros and the Houston community in the most positive way. We wish he and his family the best moving forward." Espada went 256-229 as manager and 0-4 in the postseason, McTaggart wrote.

Houston said it would hire a GM before turning to Espada's replacement. McTaggart reported that "The Astros will fill the role of GM before turning their attention to finding a replacement for manager Joe Espada, whose contract wasn't renewed following three seasons." That order of operations held: Flores was hired Oct. 30, and Franco of MLB Trade Rumors wrote that Flores will lead the managerial search.

The timeline

Free agency opens Monday, and the GM Meetings are the following week in Las Vegas, per McTaggart's Friday GM search update. Flores inherits both calendars with almost no runway. In The Athletic's story on the hire, Chandler Rome noted that the collective bargaining agreement is set to expire Dec. 1 and that a lockout would create "a time crunch for Flores," per The Athletic. Flores and Crane are scheduled to meet the media Monday at 10 a.m. CT at Daikin Park, per MLB.com.

Names to watch

As of Friday night, we have not seen a report that the Astros have interviewed a manager candidate since Flores was hired. The names below are opinions, speculation, or earlier "possible" rundowns. Treat them accordingly.

• Daniel Descalso and Jon Jay, Cardinals coaches. Nightengale called them "natural candidates" for Houston's vacancy after Flores' hire (X). Opinion, not a contact report.
• Albert Pujols. Rome called the idea "automatic speculation. And that's all this is" (X). Pujols also appeared on McTaggart's Oct. 14 MLB.com rundown of "possible managerial candidates," which was a list of potential fits, not a report of interviews (MLB.com).
• Earlier possible fits (Oct. 14): McTaggart's same MLB.com piece listed 10 names to watch as possible candidates, including Brad Ausmus, Jeff Banister, Morgan Ensberg, John Gibbons, Brandon Hyde, Danny Lehmann, Rodney Linares, Martín Maldonado, Pujols and David Ross. Again: possible fits, not interviews.

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