Astros Name Brad Ausmus Manager

The Houston Astros named Brad Ausmus manager on November 11, 2026, bringing back a former catcher who spent 10 seasons with the club. He replaces Joe Espada, whose contract was not renewed after the 2026 season, and becomes the 21st manager in Astros history.

General manager Randy Flores announced the hiring. Ausmus, 57, joins Houston after serving as the New York Yankees’ bench coach from 2024 through 2026. He previously managed the Detroit Tigers from 2014 to 2017 and the Los Angeles Angels in 2019.

Flores said Ausmus impressed the club during the interview process and cited his leadership and expertise. The Astros’ announcement did not detail specific terms of the appointment. Ausmus returns to an organization where he played from 1997 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2008, appearing in 1,259 games for Houston.

Across 18 major league seasons as a catcher, Ausmus played 1,971 games and recorded 1,579 hits. He won three Gold Glove Awards and was selected to the 1999 All-Star Game. He was Houston’s starting catcher during its 2005 National League championship run, when the Astros reached their first World Series.

His previous managerial record was 386-422 in the regular season across...