The Houston Astros have certainly gotten off to a sluggish start in 2026, yet even for them, firing manager Joe Espada this early seemed like the wrong move. That’s why general manager Dana Brown shifted blame away from Espada while discussing the Boston Red Sox’s decision to part ways with Alex Cora. Although the Astros would like to steer clear of such chatter, avoiding it may no longer be possible.
Less than a week after Cora was let go in Boston, the Philadelphia Phillies dismissed their own manager, Rob Thomson. The Phillies reached out to Cora but eventually gave the interim role to bench coach Don Mattingly.
The one bright spot for the Astros is that their predicament isn’t as severe as what the Red Sox or Phillies are facing. You can’t win a division in the opening month, but as May approaches, the Red Sox are nearly ten games back in the AL East. Meanwhile, the Phillies sit just half a game ahead of the New York Mets for baseball’s worst record.
Houston is directly ahead of Philadelphia in the standings, but the encouraging news is that the AL West hasn’t run away from them yet. It’s still too early to obsess over the standings, but following the moves by Boston and Philly, Espada won’t be off the hot seat for long.
If Houston waits too long to act, it may be too late
When Brown backed Espada earlier this week, he essentially postponed the inevitable. Rather than focusing squarely on results, Brown blamed injuries and the pitching staff’s lack of control for the team’s struggles.
The issue is that excuse will eventually wear thin with owner Jim Crane, who tends to get restless and unpredictable when he does. As much as Brown and Espada are trying to buy time hoping for a turnaround, the Astros have once again lost seven of their last ten games. If the losing continues, Espada will likely be the first to go.
The Astros might take pride in not acting impulsively like the Red Sox and Phillies, but the signs seem clear. A change in leadership feels necessary in Houston, and at this rate, it’s probably just a matter of time.
