HOUSTON -- It’s been four years since the Astros won the World Series and three years since they won a playoff game, with their historic run of dominance that culminated with seven consecutive trips to the ALCS, four AL pennants and two championships slipping further into the rearview.
That’s what makes this offseason a crucial one for the future of a franchise at a crossroads. The Astros, who were swept by the White Sox in the American League Wild Card Series with a 7-3 loss Wednesday, will be in search of a new general manager, and maybe a new manager. Joe Espada, in the last year of his contract, may have managed his final game, saying Wednesday he’d like to return for a fourth season.
“I respect the process and how blessed I've been of being here for over nine years and experienced so many division titles, Championship Series, World Series, winning one,” he said. “As a bench coach, as a manager, I have witnessed so many great moments, so obviously I would like to continue enjoying those moments.”
This year’s regular season saw the Astros reach the postseason for the ninth time in 10 years despite an 81-81 record that was good enough to win the AL West. But it also exposed the flaws of a roster that didn’t have enough pitching depth -- they used a club-record 19 starting pitchers and led the AL with 650 walks -- lacked athleticism and had one of the worst offensive outfields in club history (.662 OPS).
“It’s easy to start pointing fingers right now [about] what went wrong,” shortstop Jeremy Peña said. “I think this is something we need to sit down, analyze and this team will find a way to come around. We’ll definitely find a way to improve the team and show up next year.”
The Astros’ winning percentage dipped this year for the fourth season in a row, with a .500 record a far cry from the 106 wins the Astros posted in 2022. The Astros have lost a handful of cornerstone players since -- including trading outfielder Kyle Tucker and losing third baseman Alex Bregman to free agency after the ’24 season.
“We’ve got to find a way to come back and get deep into the playoffs and win,” veteran second baseman Jose Altuve said. “That’s all I have to say.”
The 2026 Astros, built around AL Most Valuable Player front-runner Yordan Alvarez, third baseman Isaac Paredes and Peña, had way too many holes at the bottom of the order. Houston spent much of the season scouring the waiver wire and making additions that were never enough.
“We always find ways to acquire talent and stay competitive and stay in the mix and stay in a really good position to compete and win the division,” Espada said. “So I'm sure some changes will be discussed, but the heart and soul of this team is still here. As long as Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez are here, this is a damn good team.”
Peña, who will be a free agent in ’28, could be traded this winter in the similar way the Astros traded Tucker with a year remaining on his contract. That deal, which brought outfielder Cam Smith, pitcher Hayden Wesneski and Paredes, worked out well for Houston.
“I love this city, I love everything about the Astros and hopefully, I could be here long term,” Peña said.
Among the key free agents for the Astros this winter are relievers Bryan Abreu and Steven Okert. Abreu has a 2.82 ERA with 25 saves in 392 1/3 innings in relief since his debut in 2019, flourishing as Houston’s setup man in recent years.
“He's been remarkable,” Espada said. “He's gotten big outs for so many years -- playoffs, World Series. Incredible. I know he's going into his free-agent year and he's one of those guys that you want to have in your ’pen.”
Injuries decimated the Houston pitching staff, which immediately tested the depth Brown worked all offseason to build and was the main reason the Astros started 20-31. The signings of Tatsuya Imai and Ryan Weiss were a bust, and Mike Burrows -- acquired from the Pirates in a three-team trade in December -- posted a 5.99 ERA and missed the final two months with an injury.
Those were among the reasons the Astros announced on Aug. 24 they were parting ways with Brown, who was hired to replace James Click prior to the ’23 season. Espada, who was hired a year later, posted a 256-229 regular-season record in three seasons, but never had the resources to match the success of his two predecessors.
Espada was the bench coach for a pair of managers who won World Series titles in Houston -- A.J. Hinch and Dusty Baker -- and he guided the Astros to two AL West division titles in three years, but went 0-4 in the postseason. The uncertainty of his future is as cloudy as a team entering the offseason.
“I've been a part of some really special years,” Espada said. “.... Every manager's dream is just to be able to coach and lead players like this in an organization that gives you the opportunity to always get the best players so you can consistently win divisions and go to the World Series. I'm just blessed just to be part of it.”