A day after granting Joe Espada permission to interview for the Seattle Mariners’ managerial opening, the Astros parted ways with their manager. With Seattle the only other team currently searching for a manager, Houston can take its time finding Espada’s replacement. Here are six names that could be in the mix.
Rodney Linares
Currently the Rays’ bench coach, Linares spent 20 years coaching in the Astros’ minor league system, where he was instrumental in the development of José Altuve, Alex Bregman,
Carlos Correa and George Springer. He joined the Rays’ big-league staff after the 2018 season and took over as Kevin Cash’s bench coach after Matt Quatraro was named manager of the Royals.
Although he has never managed at the major league level, Linares has spent the last eight years working for one of the game’s best managers. Crane has hired from the Rays’ coaching tree in the past, and it’s fair to say Tampa Bay is just as good in the dugout as it is in the front office.
Brad Ausmus
Ausmus was once the sport’s most intriguing managerial prospect, but he chose the wrong jobs and has found himself as a bit of an afterthought.
He chose the established Tigers over the up-and-coming Cubs in 2013, and that turned out to be a disastrous decision. The Tigers won the American League Central in Ausmus’ first season, but they got old and stopped spending money. He parted ways with the Tigers after a 64-98 campaign in 2017.
Ausmus spent 2018 in the Angels front office, and took over as the club’s manager the next season. Again, he chose a bad job, the Angels went 72-90 in 2019 and Ausmus was fired after Joe Maddon became available.
The former Astros catcher remains close friends with senior advisor Jeff Bagwell, and nearly named the team’s general manager in 2023. As long as Bagwell has the ear of Jim Crane, Ausmus has to be considered a possibility to be the team’s manager or general manager.
Martín Maldonado
Maldonado is currently a special assistant with the Atlanta Braves after 15 big league seasons, parts of six with the Astros, all of which included a trip to the American League Championship Series.
While he has never managed before, Maldonado has been mentioned as someone who could do that job in the future. The established relationships he already has Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Yordan Alvarez would give him a head start that someone who is a complete outsider.
Jeff Bannister
An alum of La Marque High School and the University of Houston, Bannister spent the last five seasons as Torey Lovullo’s bench coach in Arizona. Before that, he managed the Texas Rangers from 2015-2018, beating out the Astros for the American League West crown his first two seasons.
Bannister interviewed for the Astros managerial job in 2020 that was ultimately filled by Dusty Baker. He was described as “relentlessly optimistic” when he first took over the Rangers, but he does an edge and aggressiveness that is a slight departure from the men who have previously held the Astros job. Some might see that as a welcome change.
Eduardo Perez
One source described Perez, currently an ESPN analyst, as a “sneaky good name.” He interviewed with the Astros in 2020 after he was a finalist for the Mets job earlier that offseason, and he’s managed in Venezuela the last couple of winters.
The Astros hired Larry Dierker straight from the radio booth 30 years ago, despite having never coached before. That isn’t the case with Perez, who was the Marlins hitting coach for two seasons before serving as Bo Porter’s bench coach with the Astros in 2013.
Albert Pujols
If you can’t beat him, hire him!
Pujols spent a Hall of Fame career mashing Astros pitching, so why not try teaming up with him? He has never served on a major league coaching staff, but he led Leones del Escogido to the Dominican Winter League championship and Caribbean Series title in 2025. He also managed the Dominican Republic at the World Baseball Classic last spring.
Pujols was the favorite to land the Angels’ managerial job last offseason before the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a contract. He also interviewed with the Padres and Orioles.
