Joe Espada Named Astros Manager, Replacing Dusty Baker

Joe Espada will be announced as the new manager of the Houston Astros on Monday, according to a source familiar with the hiring, as reported by The Associated Press.

The person who disclosed the information to the AP did so on condition of anonymity Sunday, as the team had not yet made an official announcement. The Astros have a news conference scheduled for Monday morning.

Espada will take over from Dusty Baker, who retired last month.

This will be Espada’s first managerial position. He is 48 years old and has served as Houston’s bench coach since 2018.

Espada started his coaching career in the Marlins organization, working in the minors before moving to the big-league club as the third base coach in 2010.

He stayed with the Marlins until the 2013 season before taking a role as a special assistant to the New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. Espada joined the Yankees coaching staff in 2015 and worked as their infield and third base coach through the 2017 season.

Espada, a Puerto Rico native, was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the second round of the 1996 amateur draft and spent nine seasons in the minors. He reached Triple-A as a player but retired at age 29 after failing to reach the majors before starting his coaching career.