11/11/2026 11:44:00
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11/11 11:43 CST Astros bring back former catcher Brad Ausmus as their manager
after Joe Espada exit
Astros bring back former catcher Brad Ausmus as their manager after Joe Espada
exit
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) --- Brad Ausmus was named manager of the Houston Astros on
Wednesday.
New general manager Randy Flores made the announcement, which brings the former
catcher back to the place where he spent 10 years of his playing career.
"We are thrilled to welcome Brad back to the Astros organization," Flores said
in a news release. "Brad impressed us throughout the interview process,
demonstrating the leadership, energy, and expertise critical to driving a
winning culture both on and off the field. I am excited to work alongside Brad
and happy to have him back in an Astros uniform."
Ausmus said he is excited to return to Houston.
"The Astros and the city of Houston have been a huge part of my life, and I'm
thrilled to create a new chapter as the team's manager," he said. "I'd like to
thank Randy and the entire Astros organization for this opportunity, and I
can't wait to get to work."
He replaces Joe Espada, whose contract wasn't renewed after the Astros were
swept by the Chicago White Sox in a Wild Card series. Ausmus is the 21st
manager in franchise history.
Former St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols, former Astros player Morgan
Ensberg and Texas Rangers bench coach Luis Urueta were among other candidates
Houston considered before landing on Ausmus.
His hiring leaves the Angels as the only team without a manager after they
fired Kurt Suzuki following just one season. The Mariners hired Jason Kanzler
last week to fill the role from which Dan Wilson stepped down at season's end.
This is the third different managerial job for Ausmus, who managed the Angels
in 2019 and spent 2014-17 leading the Tigers. He most recently worked as the
bench coach for the Yankees from 2024 through last season.
The 57-year-old Ausmus went 72-90 in his one season with the Angels and was
314-332 in four seasons in Detroit. His best season came in his first with the
Tigers when they went 90-72 to win the AL Central before being swept by the
Orioles in the AL Division Series.
He has also worked in MLB front offices, spending 2011-13 as a special
assistant to baseball operations for the Padres and 2018 as a special assistant
to the GM for the Angels.
Ausmus spent 18 years as a major league catcher. He played for the Astros from
1997-98 and 2001-08. He won three Gold Gloves while with the Astros and was
named to the All-Star team in 1999 with the Tigers. He also played for the
Padres and the Dodgers before retiring after the 2010 season.
He played 1,971 MLB games, including 1,259 with the Astros, the most by a
catcher in franchise history.
Ausmus played in 35 career postseasons games, all of them with the Astros. He
was the team's catcher when the Astros reached the World Series in 2005 for the
first time. He had a big home run earlier in that playoff run when his shot
tied the game with two outs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the NLDS against
the Braves that the Astros went on to win 7-6 in 18 innings.
He was a 48th round pick of the Yankees in 1987. He attended Dartmouth while
playing in the minors for the Yankees, graduating in 1991 with a bachelor's
degree in government.
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