Astros finalize 2025 coaching staff after making one major adjustment

This is the time of year when elite teams like the Houston Astros whose Octobers ended too swiftly try to get their ducks in a row when it comes to their coaching staffs for next season. This is the month when you see coaches shuffled around or simply given their walking papers as teams try to set themselves up for success during the offseason. Until recently, the only change that Astros fans knew was Gary Pettis being relieved of his duties as Houston's third base coach.

Given the number of changes that the organization has undergone under (relatively) new general manager Dana Brown, there was a chance that more coaching changes could have been on the horizon. However, the Astros announced recently that replacing Pettis, as well one other minor coaching change, were the only shifts that would be made. Houston plans to return the rest of this season's coaching staff in 2025.

Astros mostly stand pat with announcement of 2025 coaching staff

The only two changes we'll see with the 2025 coaching staff are the installment of Tony Perezchica as their third base coach, as well as Jason Bell moving from quality assurance coach to major league field coordinator/outfield coach. Both moves seem to be geared towards shoring up the Astros' infield defense while not completely neglecting the outfield following the loss of Pettis.

As expected, Joe Espada will return as manager after getting the job before 2024. That shift came after World Series champion Dusty Baker decided to retire because the internet was mean to him. Omar Lopez will serve as Houston's bench coach for the second straight season with Dave Clark (first base coach), Alex Cintron (hitting coach), Josh Miller (pitching coach), Troy Snitker (hitting coach), Michael Collins (catching coach), Bill Murphy (pitching coach), and Tommy Kawamura (game planning coach) all returning as well.

In the case of the Astros, these moves to bring back the majority of the coaching staff make a lot of sense. Houston put together a strong 2024 season despite the rough start and their early playoff exit, and this is a classic "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" situation. It is also worth noting that making wholesale changes after one year under Espada wouldn't make a lot of sense, although not renewing Pettis' contract could serve as a warning that the front office isn't afraid to make a change if the need arises.

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