Astros insider strongly implies that Joe Espada’s time is running out unless something changes

A vote of confidence is never quite what it seems in Major League Baseball. Especially for the manager. If a manager has reached the point where their boss has to reassure the public that there won't be a firing, the battle may have already been lost. That's the exact position that Joe Espada finds himself in with the Houston Astros.

Espada entered the season in an unenviable position. There was speculation that he could be the fall guy for Houston's collapse last September. Instead, most of his coaching staff was reset with new faces. Even with the changes, Espada returning for the 2026 season wasn't a ringing endorsement. Instead, the message was simple: Espada was under contract for one more season, so that meant he was going to be the team's manager.

The stage was set; if things went badly for the Astros to start the 2026 season, Espada was going to be on the hot seat. Nonetheless, Houston hasn't been the biggest disappointment this season (Thanks to the Red Sox, Phillies, and Mets), but things aren't working in Espada's favor.

It's early, but with 20 losses through April, history would suggest that the Astros likely won't be turning their season around. While Dana Brown has previously deflected blame away from Espada, that may not be the case behind the scenes.

Joe Espada's days may be numbered, and the number may be small

The Athletic's Chandler Rome (subscription required) suggests that Espada is in a "precarious position" after the team's struggles to start the season. While Brown placed the blame on the team's struggles with injuries and pitchers not being able to find their command, Rome also notes that Espada's decisions are starting to be looked at through a magnifying glass.

If the earlier "vote of confidence" from Brown wasn't already an indication, Rome's report would certainly reveal that Espada isn't exactly on stable ground as the Astros' manager.

Short of the Astros turning their season around, which seems unlikely, considering the health and ineffectiveness of their pitching staff, it seems like a firing for Espada will be the first lever that is pulled by Brown. Then, the question becomes, does Jim Crane make a change with Brown as well, or let the veteran general manager try and work his way out of the mess that is the Astros' roster.

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