Astros will not renew contract of Puerto Rican manager Joe Espada
Houston announced the decision on Wednesday along with several coaching changes after the team was swept in the wild-card round.
PhotoThe short version
- Primera Hora reports the Astros decided not to renew Joe Espada's contract which expires at the end of October
- El Nuevo Día states Espada compiled a 256-229 record in three seasons as manager
- El Vocero notes the Astros went 0-4 in postseason games under Espada with sweeps in 2024 and 2026
- All outlets report the team will seek a new manager and general manager after Dana Brown was fired in August
Decision announced
The Houston Astros will not renew the contract of Puerto Rican manager Josué “Joe” Espada, multiple outlets reported on Wednesday, Oct. 14. Primera Hora reported the team announced the decision as his contract, which expires at the end of this month, was not renewed. El Nuevo Día reported the move also included parting ways with several assistants.
Owner Jim Crane issued a statement thanking Espada. All four outlets quoted the owner saying the organization was grateful for his hard work, passion and commitment. El Vocero reported the decision ends a nine-year relationship with the franchise, the last three as manager. NotiCel reported Espada had been manager since 2024 after serving as bench coach from 2018-23.
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Estamos agradecidos por el arduo trabajo de Joe, su pasión por el béisbol y su compromiso con los Astros de Houston.
Our translation: We are grateful for Joe's hard work, his passion for baseball and his commitment to the Houston Astros.
The source's own statement, as quoted by El Vocero. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
2026 season and playoff exit
The Astros overcame numerous injuries to win the American League West with an 81-81 record and became the first team in Major League history to reach the postseason without a winning record, according to Primera Hora and El Nuevo Día. They were then swept in two home games by the Chicago White Sox in the wild-card round, El Vocero reported.
Espada's teams won the AL West in his first season in 2024 but were swept by the Detroit Tigers. The team finished 87-75 and missed the playoffs in 2025, El Nuevo Día reported. This year the Astros used a franchise-record 19 starting pitchers and issued 650 walks, the most in the American League, El Vocero reported.
Coaching staff changes
The Astros parted ways with catching instructor Tim Cossins, game-planning coach Tommy Kawamura, third-base coach Tony Perezchica, assistant hitting coach Anthony Iapoce and assistant pitching coach Ethan Katz on Wednesday, according to all four reports. Bench coach Omar López was offered a different role in the organization, Primera Hora reported.
The team will retain pitching coach Josh Miller, first-base coach Dave Clark, major-league field coordinator Jason Bell, hitting coach Víctor Rodríguez and bullpen catcher Javier Bracamonte, El Nuevo Día reported. The organization is also looking for a new general manager after dismissing Dana Brown in August.
Where the sources differ
All four sources agree the Astros announced on Wednesday they would not renew Joe Espada's contract and listed the same group of coaches who were let go and those retained. Primera Hora, El Nuevo Día and El Vocero give Espada's managerial record as 256-229 while NotiCel does not specify the exact win-loss total. El Vocero adds details on the 2026 pitching staff struggles and quotes Espada expressing his desire to continue after the playoffs. El Nuevo Día provides the most background on Espada's place among Puerto Rican and Latino managers in MLB history. Sources differ slightly on the exact phrasing of Jim Crane's statement but report the same core message.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state whether Espada has accepted or declined the opportunity to interview with the Seattle Mariners. They do not specify when the search for a new manager and general manager will begin or if there is a timetable for hiring. The articles do not mention any financial terms of Espada's expiring contract or possible severance. Future plans for Espada beyond the possibility of managing elsewhere are not addressed.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Astros no renuevan contrato del boricua Joe Espada
- Reporting Houston no le renueva contrato al dirigente boricua Josué Espada
- Reporting Se acaba la etapa de Joe Espada en Houston: los Astros no renovarán su contrato
- Reporting Joe Espada termina su etapa con los Astros de Houston
How we checked this
Primera Hora, El Nuevo Día, El Vocero and NotiCel all reported the non-renewal of Joe Espada's contract and the accompanying coaching staff changes. The exact 2026 regular-season record, the historical note about reaching the postseason with a losing record, and the full list of retained and departing coaches rest on multiple sources while Espada's quotes about wanting to continue and the detailed pitching-staff usage appear only in El Vocero.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.