The Houston Astros are coming off a disappointing Game 7 loss in the American League Championship Series and now are tasked with replacing manager Dusty Baker after he retired.
The Astros’ offseason only begins there, but replacing Baker — a future Hall of Fame manager — will prove difficult. He received unfair criticism from Astros fans during the 2023 season, but let’s take a wide-angle view of the job that he stepped into: he was tasked with managing the Astros immediately after their sign-stealing scandal. They could have easily blown up and had their dynasty fall apart considering the magnitude of the fallout and scrutiny. Instead, Baker kept them together, brought another World Series to Houston, and brought them within another game of the World Series.
Baker should be celebrated, and replacing him will not be easy, and it’s on Astros owner Jim Crane to get the hire right.
Let’s dive into their offseason priorities.
3. How do the Astros replace Dusty Baker?
Immediately, two names surfaced to replace Baker: bench coach Joe Espada and former Angels and Tigers manager Brad Ausmus.
Espada is a highly respected coach who is viewed as a future manager by many baseball people. He’s interviewed for numerous jobs and has learned under A.J. Hinch and Baker, and deserves a chance. Ausmus, meanwhile, would be an uninspiring hire considering his history in Los Angeles and Detroit, but clearly, Crane is high on him, as he was among the frontrunners to be their general manager before the team hired Dana Brown.
Another name to keep an eye on could be Ron Washington, the Atlanta Braves’ bench coach, as he has ties to Brown, and is said to want to manage again. Besides, his track record in developing players, his success as Texas Rangers’ manager, and his respect in the industry would warrant another opportunity.