Astros set offseason tone with reported Dana Brown, Joe Espada decision for 2026

As soon as the Houston Astros failed to make the playoffs this year, there was rampant speculation about the futures of general manager Dana Brown as well as manager Joe Espada. Everyone knows that owner Jim Crane does not handle losing particularly well, and there was a real sentiment that both Brown and Espada could find themselves unemployed after Houston's collapse.

For the moment, it appears as though both men are safe. According to reporting from Astros beat writer Brian McTaggart, both Brown and Espada remain under contract for next season and are expected to be back with the Astros.

Both Dana Brown and Joe Espada are staying with the Astros...for now

If we are being honest with ourselves, the odds that Brown and Espada would be allowed to do end-of-season media availability like they have if they weren't sticking around were pretty low. Yes, Crane can be a fickle owner, but he is probably aware that a lot of what befell the Astros this season was injury-related, and there is only so much you can blame Brown and Espada for that.

However, there is definitely going to be some form of accountability for the team cratering and missing the playoffs after being prohibitive favorites for most of the season. There has already been some speculation that some coaches could be fired, including Troy Snitker and Alex Cintron. Given the offense's implosion, targeting hitting coaches makes a certain amount of sense.

What happens next is where things get interesting. Brown clearly is on a bit of a leash now, and Espada may be a bit more expendable. Houston has some real roster holes to fill, limited payroll to fill them unless the roster is purged a bit, and they have to do all of this with the knowledge that a new CBA is coming after the 2026 season (hopefully), which could change all the rules. Things are getting more and more interesting, and the postseason isn't even over yet.