Two managers have already been fired during the Major League Baseball season, with the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox both making changes in April. With several other projected contenders struggling, another could be removed this month.
USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale wrote Sunday that Houston Astros manager Joe Espada could be the next captain to be fired during the regular season.
The Astros currently have the seventh-highest payroll in baseball this season at $240.93 million. After a 5–2 start to the season, however, the club has gone 9–19 since April 2.
Espada took over as Astros manager in 2024, taking charge of a club that won 90 games the previous season and reached the American League Championship Series. However, during his tenure, the Astros have not won a single playoff game and they missed the postseason in 2025.
Why the Astros May Fire Joe Espada
Espada isn't necessarily to blame for the Astros' problems this season. Entering MLB games today, Houston's lineup ranked sixth in runs scored (178) and third in batting average (.269), OBP (.348) and slugging (.440).
Unfortunately the Houston skippers have one of the worst pitching staff in baseball. The Astros' pitchers have the highest ERA (5.75) and WHIP (1.62) in baseball and allow the fourth-highest batting average (.264).
Injuries play a significant factor in this, with starting pitchers Hunter Brown (shoulder), Tatsuya Imai (arm), Ronel Blanco (elbow), and Cristian Javier (shoulder) being on the injured list. Imai is the closest to a comeback, but command was a big issue for him in his first rehab start.
More blame can certainly fall on the shoulders of Astros general manager Dana Brown. However, for now, team owner Jim Crane is at his word. This puts Espada in an unfavorable position for his job security, with Brown potentially firing his manager as a last resort to save his job.
Realistically, barring a major change by the club, Espada would be fired within a matter of weeks. A change in the dugout will give Brown some playing time, but the club's on-field results in recent years could mean he will not be retained when his contract expires after the 2026 MLB season.
